《The Tallfellows》


 Prologue

    Prologue


    Piria


    Neyra¡¯s lungs were on fire, and each new breath only stoked the flames. Tears welled up in her eyes as her side spasmed again, sending searing pain through her abdomen. She couldn¡¯t decide which of the two pains was worse. Despite both, she still ran, ran like her little life depended on it. She panted as she spared a quick glance over her shoulder. She could still see him through the auburn hair that whipped about her head.


    He was six feet of pure, lean muscle and his pale green skin was slick with sweat. Wicked tusks glinted in the midday sun as he bared them at her in a viscous growl. That deep, rumbling sound seemed to vibrate all the way to the ground beneath her very feet. His arms pumped and his chest heaved with each stride he took. He was close, and he was getting closer by the second.


    She cursed to herself and redoubled her efforts, choosing to turn off of the beaten path. Neyra leapt over a fallen tree, the rough bark scraping her thigh as she pressed deeper into the dense foliage. She winced in pain and hoped that the obstacle would trip him up. There was the crunching sound of trampled branches and then a snarl. Whatever time that bought her, it wasn¡¯t much. Gods send it would be enough.


    There was one more gambit that could work. Target in sight, Neyra crouched and prepared her arms for the swing that would launch her up into the grooved branches of the parana pine. Cool, humid air swept across her legs and up her skirts, stinging a bit as it blew against her open wound. She leapt, reaching desperately for the saving grace of the towering tree. Her fingertips brushed the bark and ignited hope within her chest. But, with a jolt, something wrenched her back from her salvation. A massive hand grasped the back of her shirt. She kicked and huffed, but to no avail. His chest rumbled as he effortlessly held her up, turning her to face his yellow eyes.


    ¡°Now that there¡¯s cheatin¡¯ and you know it!¡± he said. Though she could hear slight annoyance in his voice, his yellow eyes sparkled with a playful light. Neyra could do nothing but grin sheepishly as he set her on the ground with a gentle thump.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have much of a choice here, Arv!¡± Neyra said, tapping her foot. ¡°Your legs are taller than my whole body!!¡±


    At just under three feet tall, she was hardly tiny for a halfling girl of her age, though her full potential of growth stood no chance against her brother. She narrowed her eyes and scrunched her nose as she glared up at him. He had only just reached his twelfth year and already he stood at an impressive six feet tall. He showed no signs of stopping, either. Maybe Ma and Da needed to build that second house addition after all¡­


    ¡°Hey now, you know that ain¡¯t my fault!¡± He gestured down at his legs with a bashful grin. ¡°Ma feeds me the same food as you! You¡¯re just not using it right, big sis,¡± he reached out a hand (big enough to cover her entire head, mind you) and ruffled her hair playfully, adding a bit of jabbing emphasis to the last words. Neyra batted him away, trying in vain to fix the absolute mess he¡¯d made of her hair. Despite it all, she couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her little brother had that effect on people.


    Arv pursed his lips to give her one more of his toothy smiles, but then stopped short. Neyra noticed his square, pointed ears twitch. Then her own ears perked up as a breeze rustled the tall fronds and grasses around them, carrying the sound of soft footsteps and quiet pants. Arv gave a little hop and waved a big, green hand toward the noise.


    ¡°Oi! Baby sis! Came to join us finally?¡±


    His voice boomed with an unintentional power that caused several nearby birds to take flight.


    ¡°Hardly,¡± the small voice said, its owner peeking her head through the tall vegetation. She stumbled up to them, all the while muttering under her breath about sticking to the trail. Soon, a disgruntled halfling stood at Neyra¡¯s side, arms crossed and tapping her foot. ¡°Mums looking for you,¡± she said to Neyra before turning to look (very far) up to Arv, ¡°and Da¡¯s looking for you. He¡¯ll have your stinky green hide if you aren¡¯t there to help with the catch today!¡±


    The green seemed to drain from his face as he looked down at Elivera.


    ¡°They¡¯re back already?!¡±


    A jerk of her head toward the docks was the only answer Arv needed to send him running, trampling down the undergrowth like it was nothing. The ruckus sent every creature within a mile radius running for cover.


    ¡°Well, at least he made a path for us!¡± Elivera said, grabbing Neyra¡¯s hand as they set off for the road. Neyra just rolled her eyes and smiled.


    Looking at her little sister was like looking in a mirror. The two of them shared the same tanned, delicate features; round cheeks smattered generously with freckles, big brown eyes, and dainty noses. Her long hair cascaded from two high pigtails atop her head. Each was the exact shade of Neyra''s own auburn locks.


    Elle looked at her with a devious smile and stretched up on her tiptoes. She gave Neyra a little boop on the nose before settling back on the ground. Confound it all. Elle was only eleven years old, but if she continued with all of this growing of hers, people would start mistaking the two of them for twins! Her face was near level with her own now, even when she wasn¡¯t standing on her tiptoes! Neyra huffed at the thought of being outgrown by yet another sibling. Elivera would never reach Arv''s height, at least. That had to count for something, right?


    ¡°Now what¡¯s Ma gonna do with you, Ney? You¡¯re supposed to be the responsible one now, you know.¡±


    Neyra wilted at the banter from her little sister. At fourteen years old, Neyra was the eldest, a fact that her whole family seemed to never let her forget! She felt as if her childhood had ?disappeared the moment she received women''s underclothes. Things that were supposed to be fun now just made her feel guilty. She groaned. At least she wasn¡¯t married off yet. She knew that would come soon enough if Ma had her way. She uttered a silent prayer of thanks for Arv, whose mere presence kept the more serious village boys at bay, but that wouldn¡¯t last forever. Elivera kept that teasing grin on her face as they walked, almost as if she were expecting Neyra to quip back. And Neyra nearly did too. The whole situation was quite infuriating. Elivera wore a woman¡¯s shift too! The burden didn''t affect Elle the same way it affected her.


    ¡°Don''t deny it, Ney,¡± she said, ¡°You secretly enjoy being the oldest.¡± Elivera playfully punched her in the arm.


    Neyra punched her back with a sisterly scowl as they stepped onto the well-worn dirt of the village road. Elle was kind of right, after all.


    A short while later, Neyra found familiar scents trickling into her nose. The aroma of cook fires along with a faint, ever-persistent smell of fish always hit them before they even saw the first thatched roofs of Piria.


    Piria was a modest fishing village, not as small as some of the island settlements to the south, but certainly not one of the grand cities up north. What it lacked in population it more than made up for in¡­well, not much of anything, actually. Fishing was practically all that happened in their town. Her Ma often joked that Piria had more boats than beds, and she was right! Neyra had counted once. She smiled despite herself as they approached the first cluster of buildings. Life in Piria was quaint, perhaps even boring. And Neyra wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.


    Their home was part of a smaller neighborhood, just on the northern outskirts of town. Piria had no walls, but Neyra supposed that if you had to draw a boundary for the town somewhere, then it would be here, just where the northern road met the first home.


    The buildings jutted from the earth in a confusing array of styles and sizes. All together there were a dozen different homes laid out in an arcing pattern around a communal well at the center. Neyra glanced past the fences and gardens to where the road turned from dirt to cobbled stone. One only had to walk a mile or so further down it to reach the town proper. Neyra and her siblings alike often groaned at the distance from the amenities of town; most especially when Ma or Da sent them on last-minute errands. But she knew that there were certain perks to living on the outskirts of the community. The village square was crowded, and Da insisted they would need the extra room to grow, especially with an Arv in their family.


    The sounds of morning work trickled into Neyra¡¯s ears, and many of their neighbors called out in greeting as they passed by, their hands busy with the washing or the cooking. In true Pirian spirit, many of them hummed and sang as they worked. Neyra hummed right along with them as they finally reached their home.


    Of all the homes in the neighborhood, the Tallfellow residence was by far the strangest. It looked as if someone had worked on a home sized for halflings, and then up and changed their minds halfway through. And it looked that way because that¡¯s exactly what had happened. Ma and Pa fully intended to have children, and when they came to Piria, they built themselves a home to reflect that goal. Not too big, not too small. But when it became clear that the infant they took in was, in fact, a full-blooded orc, they had to scramble to make more room. The back half of the house towered comically above the rest of the dwelling, sized even bigger than the homes that the human Pirians lived in.


    And if the home wasn¡¯t eye-catching enough, it was also decorated in true halfling fashion, with brightly painted shutters and no shortage of bells and wind chimes. Flowers in every color grew in such abundance that they nearly engulfed the path to the house, and Ma kept adding more with each passing spring.


    ¡°Bout time, my girls!¡± A cheery voice barked at them from the doorway.


    She was a stout woman, their mother, even for a halfling. She kept her curly brown hair tied up tight in a bright yellow kerchief, leaving her freckled and sun wrinkled face free from distraction. Danya was a kind soul, but she tolerated no nonsense. It took a certain kind of woman to take in an abandoned orc infant, after all. Neyra knew that she certainly would have had hesitations about raising a child sure to outgrow her, especially with another little one already in the home. But mother and father were willing. It was who they were. Their family had a motto, and her Ma and Da had a habit of being persistently, horrifically annoying about it. ¡°No challenge too great for a Tallfellow!¡± they would often cheer. They especially loved doing it when their children complained about the chores. But there was never any doubt that the Masters Tallfellow certainly followed that creed. And, despite all her eye rolls, Neyra was actually quite grateful for their nonsense. She loved her family more than anything. They were a merry bunch, stalwart and proud.


    ¡°The wash waits for no one!¡± She sang as she thrust a basket onto each girl, ¡°Hang these, and then I need you to pick and shell those beans from the garden to go with supper. Now hurry along! There will be time to play after the work is done,¡± she said to Neyra, who blushed.


    ¡°Yes, Ma,¡±


    The girls trudged over to the clotheslines. Elivera chatted away happily as they worked, trying to make the chore go by faster. Her words floated through Neyra¡¯s mind with little thought.


    ¡°Then Sylla told Bari, who told me that there¡¯s a soothsayer in town!¡± she said.


    Neyra fumbled with the sheet in her hands, nearly dropping it in the dirt.


    ¡°A what?!¡±


    ¡°A soothsayer! You know, an honest to Gods magician! He came last night. Now Judge Voss has him all cooped up in the town hall. He doesn¡¯t want everyone knowing about him, I suppose. But Sylla swears he¡¯s there, and he¡¯s got the judge¡¯s council all in a huff.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course they¡¯re in a huff! Why would a soothsayer even come here?¡±


    ¡°How should I know? I had to give Bari quite the prodding before she even came out with it! Apparently her Ma heard her talkin'' with Sylla and¡­. well she¡¯s not sitting properly today, that¡¯s for certain,¡± Elivera grimaced.


    ¡°A soothsayer¡­¡± Neyra whispered, curiosity blooming in her chest, elation followed close after, ¡°A soothsayer! Elle, I have to see him!¡±


    A fresh voice, a gruff yet playful whisper, came suddenly from Neyra¡¯s right,


    ¡°They aren¡¯t letting anyone in, and they even locked the windows.¡± Neyra nearly screamed as a small, brown face peeked through the damp laundry around them, parting the sheets with deft hands, ¡°I already checked.¡±


    ¡°Hells, Shamil! How long have you been there?!¡± Elivera squeaked, and then yelped as Neyra pinched her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let Ma hear you swear! But yes, what in the hells are you doing here, Shamil?! I thought you were on the boats today!¡± Neyra finished in a whisper.


    Shamil¡¯s face scrunched in a mischievous grin, her gray eyes twinkling as if there was some untold secret behind them. She was a gnome, which put her at about equal height with Neyra and Elle, but her build was much stockier, and her ears bigger. Her skin was a cool, rich brown which complimented the subtle highlights that peeked through her black hair. She wore it in two large buns at the top of her head. Neyra couldn¡¯t remember the last time Shamil wore it any other way. And she certainly couldn¡¯t remember a time without Shamil Quiltone in her life.


    Shamil¡¯s parents, Barcus and Joyaris, were lifelong friends with her own Ma and Da, and as such, the two of them grew up together. Shamil was there when they found Arv, and she was there when Elle was born. She had no siblings of her own, and had taken to the Tallfellow children as if they were her own blood, especially after Joyaris died. They were more than happy to have her. Shamil had a talent for finding fun and mayhem, and she was even more brilliant at making it for herself. She also had an excellent ear for gossip.


    ¡°Listen, we all know that Sylla¡¯s a twit. But she¡¯s right about this. I saw him too. He came to my Pa¡¯s shop before Judge Voss scooped ¡®em up.¡± Her pointed ears wiggled as her face split into a grin. ¡°It¡¯s the most interesting thing to happen here since Arv almost burned the docks down.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing he¡¯s not around to hear you mention that. You know how defensive he gets,¡± Neyra said with a soft scowl.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that big oaf, anyway? Still helping your Da?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d imagine so,¡± Neyra shrugged, returning to her work as Elivera did to hers. Shamil continued,


    ¡°Well, I¡¯d hate to be him right now. I saw some of the fishermen this morning and they looked in a right foul mood. The catches must not be improving,¡± Shamil¡¯s face fell a bit. Even at thirteen years old, she understood the weight of that statement. Winter would be upon them soon, and the fishing would only get harder. She shook her head as if trying to snap out of it, her buns of hair bobbing wildly as she did.


    ¡°Anyway, hurry it up over here! I¡¯ve got that¡­thing. Swiped it this morning,¡± she said with a wink at Neyra, ¡°so meet me at the spot! It should be the last piece we need.¡±


    ¡°You two are still working on that?¡± Elivera asked, rolling her eyes, ¡°When do I finally get to see it?!¡±


    ¡°When it¡¯s ready, Elle,¡± Shamil stuck her tongue out at the halfling, the expression puffing out her normally square, gnomish features.


    Neyra merely smiled at her best friend and quickened her pace, thoughts of magic soothsayers and secret engineering projects dancing through her mind.


    ***


    Arv let out a grunt as he swung himself over the railing of the small fishing boat. He hit the dock with a thump; the wood creaking and groaning underneath him. A smaller thump followed and soon a small hand clapped his lower back with a surprisingly strong whack.


    ¡°Ya did good today, lad,¡± he said, ¡°even if you were late.¡±


    Arv smiled down at his father. Adelard Tallfellow was tall in every single way but in his actual stature. Strong and selfless, he was everything that Arv respected in people. An auburn mustache crinkled above his lip as he smiled warmly up at his son. Very far up at his son. He sighed and rubbed his temple with worn, calloused hands. His hair was thinning there from the habit. Arv could tell that he was trying his hardest not to let the fatigue and worry show, but the creases between Adelard¡¯s eyebrows gave him away. Those hushed whispers he had shared with the other fishers at the docks were suspicious. Something was up, Arv was sure of it. If only he could figure out what.


    Despite the troublesome thoughts, Arv puffed out his chest and gave his father a large toothy grin, basking in the compliment.


    ¡°Now go run along! I¡¯ve a council meeting at the town hall tonight. I¡¯ll be awhile still. You go find your sisters. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re expecting you. Now go!¡±


    He waved dismissively, sensing Arv¡¯s trepidation. Arv excused himself as a fellow fisherman walked up and began talking to his father. His ears pricked at the word ¡°soothsayer¡± among the frantic whispers. What would they be talking about a soothsayer for? He wondered as he jogged off towards the cliffs, an unsettling icy breeze following his every step.


    It didn¡¯t take long for his long legs to carry him to where he needed to go. The village kids spent most evenings by the cliffs. And sure enough, as he rounded the bend, he found his sisters and Shamil sitting on the large rocks. However, they were alone. None of the other village youths lounged about as they usually did. And instead of the typical laughs and shouts filling the air, he heard only hushed, serious tones. Shamil looked up from her lap, holding what appeared to be a mess of leather straps and buckles. She nudged Neyra, who quickly helped her stuff the straps into a bag before Arv could get a closer look.


    ¡°Arv!¡± Neyra said, ¡°How was the catch today?¡±


    ¡°Good enough, I suppose,¡± Arv said, forgetting the straps and flopping backwards into the tall grass. He stretched out his long limbs. The familiar, salty scent of seawater filled his nostrils and the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs helped calm his frazzled nerves.


    ¡°Oh, come on. It couldn¡¯t be that bad, could it?¡± Elivera asked as she laid down next to Arv, the blades of grass engulfing her much more than her brother.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing. Bad luck lately is all.¡± Arv sighed, ¡°More fish will come¡­we¡¯ll¨Cwe¡¯ll be okay.¡±


    He was a terrible liar, and he knew it. But Elivera and the others seemed to let it rest, turning to other matters. Neyra smiled down at him from atop her rocky perch. He could tell that she was worried. They all were. Perhaps Neyra most of all. She usually did all the worrying for them. He sat up and crawled towards Neyra¡¯s rock, eventually turning to sit. He hugged his knees up to his chest.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone and made a mess of Elle¡¯s work this morning,¡± Neyra said as she took the braids out of his thick black hair. While cropped short at the sides and back, the hair on the crown of his head hung long. He would¡¯ve shaved it all short years ago, but he knew his sisters loved to braid it. And who was he to deny them that?


    Neyra¡¯s fingers worked deftly, and he drifted off under the familiar sensation.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Shamil asked.


    Arv¡¯s eyes shot open with a start. The tone of Shamil¡¯s voice was one he had never heard from her lips before. She sounded¡­afraid? Ignoring the protests of his biggest sister, he scrambled to his feet, urgently looking at where Shamil was pointing.


    The afternoon sun continued to sink in the sky off to the East, casting warm, long shadows across the coastline. But out across the sea, filling the entire southern horizon, the sky was black. Not just the black of dark clouds that heralded the all-too-familiar storms of the coast, but black as pitch, black as the moonless night, black as death. And it was growing.


    They all stood up now, looking in earnest across the horizon. As his eyes adjusted to the unfamiliar sight, Arv noticed an undulating movement from within the blackness. It was like inky water, or the roiling ocean in the dark of night. He nearly jumped as a sudden flash of green lightning streaked across its surface, illuminating the black sky a sickly color before fading to darkness again.


    Neyra¡¯s voice drifted into his awareness as the blackness crept ever closer.


    ¡°We need to run. Now.¡±


    And, almost as if they were awaiting permission, the four leapt to their feet and ran.


    ***


    For the second time that day, Neyra¡¯s lungs screamed, but this time there was true terror in her heart. She cursed as she tripped over a rock, crashing hard into the dirt. Arv was there in an instant, scooping her up and slinging her over his back. Shamil and Elivera already clung to his broad shoulders. Neyra scurried to her familiar spot as her brother continued to run.


    While halfling-backpack was a familiar game to them, they had never played like this, fleeing genuine danger. The straps that clanked in Samil¡¯s bag would have been real handy right about now. But there was no time. Arv huffed furiously as he ran, arms pumping in a steady rhythm with his long legs. Neyra tried to shake off the shock of her fall as she clung to her brother, eyes squeezed shut. Pull it together, you fool, she thought, they need you. She glanced to either side of her at Shamil and Elivera. Both were looking at her with concern in their eyes. She forced a brief, strained smile at them and leaned her head closer to Arv.


    ¡°Get us home!¡± She cried out, trying to make her voice carry through the din of rustling grass and cracking branches.


    ¡°No!¡± Arv said between breaths, ¡°Town needs to know! We¡¯re runnin'' to the council.¡±


    Neyra opened her mouth to protest, but stopped short. Of course, Arv was right. They needed to tell someone.


    In record time, Arv skidded to a halt in front of the building that served as the town¡¯s gathering hall. Hands on his knees, he panted as the three girls scurried down to the ground. Elivera gave him an appreciative pat on the way down.


    ¡°Go!¡± He said, ¡°I¡¯ll be along. I just need to catch my breath¡ªhey!¡± He yelped as Neyra used her whole (albeit very humble) weight against his arm, clinging to it with both hands as she dragged him off balance.


    ¡°No! Catch your breath inside, you big dunderhead! I¡¯m NOT leaving you out here alone.¡±


    Elivera and Shamil were already scrambling up the steps and to the heavy doors, pulling with a joint effort at the latch. Neyra¡¯s wide, fear-filled eyes left no room for argument and Arv mustered what little energy he had left to follow the little ones into the building.


    There was a loud clunk as the door swung open to Arv¡¯s heavy hands, but not a soul seemed to notice as every adult voice in the room was shouting out at once. The cacophony was incredible, and the tension palpable.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no chance in hells that they¡¯ll listen now, even if we could get their attention,¡± Shamil snarled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see Da¡­ours or yours,¡± Arv said, with a worried glance down at Shamil.


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± Elivera asked, ¡°That soothsayer has to be somewhere! Maybe he¡¯ll listen?¡±


    ¡°So there really is a soothsayer here?!¡± Arv asked, still sounding winded.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Elivera said, taking charge as she wound her way through the sea of arguing adults.


    Ducking and weaving, the girls darted through the mess of legs and chairs with ease. Even all of Arv went completely unnoticed in the frenzy. Quickly they crept down the back hall of the building, the noise of the shouting dimming slightly as they turned the corner.


    ¡°There,¡± Elivera whispered as they came to a stop. A soft candle light flickered and danced under the spare room door. Someone was inside.


    ¡°That must be where they¡¯re keeping him. I betcha he¡¯ll listen!¡±


    They never even noticed that the council¡¯s arguing had halted.


    Neyra had only just raised a trembling hand to the latch of the door, a polite-yet-firm inquiry on her lips when the building was rocked by a sudden, deafening explosion. A blast of hot air slammed into her back and everything went dark.


    ***


    Elivera¡¯s head rang as she struggled to open her eyes. The air was warm and heavy, and unusually hot. With a grunt, she got to her knees, frantically blinking her eyes open. The intensity of the surrounding darkness startled her, and for a terrified moment, she thought that her fall had harmed her vision.


    ¡°Arv!¡± she said, ¡°Neyra! Shamil! Anyone?!¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± came the soft bellow of Arv¡¯s deep voice, cracking ever so slightly at the end. She felt his large hand fumble into her back, and she could just barely see his angular, orcish features in the oppressive dim.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± Shamil asked, voice not too far off. Neyra soon followed, coughing with a strained voice,


    ¡°I¡¯m here. Where are you? I can¡¯t see a thing.¡±


    ¡°Climb on, quick! We¡¯re getting out of here,¡± Arv said.


    With an effortless snatch, he lifted Elivera off the ground and onto his shoulder. Shamil and Neyra soon followed.


    ¡°There¡¯s another door somewhere back here!¡± Shamil said, ¡°Just keep going forward!¡±


    ¡°I see it,¡± Arv said as he propelled them through the darkness.


    ¡°How can you two see anything in this?!¡± Elivera asked with exasperation, straining her eyes even harder.


    ¡°Dark vision,¡± Neyra said from the other side of Arv¡¯s back. Right, Elivera thought. Perhaps she hit her head harder than she thought.


    Just as Arv approached the door, a shape (almost bigger than Arv) came barreling past them,


    ¡°Move!¡± he hissed, whipping gnarled hands out to shove Arv aside. The man scrambled past them and threw open the door. His ornate maroon robes swished as he ran out into the open air.


    ¡°The soothsayer!¡± Neyra called. Elivera couldn¡¯t tell if her sister spoke with disgust or with awe. She knew how much she wanted to meet the strange fellow, but the bastard was running away from them!


    ¡°Arv, after him!¡±


    Arv needed no convincing to rush after the man. As they passed the building¡¯s threshold, the oppressive darkness eased up, but not by much. It couldn¡¯t have been any later than early evening, but it was already dark. Elivera¡¯s ears finally stopped ringing and, with terror, she could finally make out the distant sounds of screams. What was happening?


    ¡°Hey, you!¡± Arv said, his orcish lungs propelling the shout forward with a terrifying energy, ¡°Stop right there! What did you DO?!¡±


    The man glanced over his shoulder in absolute terror, his beady eyes widening at the sight of Arv. His legs moved faster. The man was scrambling to gain ground as he made his way north up the main road.


    With a sudden jerk, Elivera¡¯s face slammed into Arv¡¯s shoulder. He had stopped, and abruptly at that. Shamil and Neyra grunted as well, recovering from the sudden lurch.


    ¡°Ow! What was that for?!¡± Shamil asked.


    ¡°Oh, hush!¡± Arv said. Elivera peered down to see that Arv had stopped to rummage through a crate near the smithy, Master Stev¡¯s house,


    ¡°What are you even doing?¡± Elivera asked, ¡°He¡¯s getting away!¡±


    Arv snapped back with a venom that was unusual for his normally mild manner,


    ¡°Catchin¡¯ him¡¯ll mean nothin¡¯ if I don¡¯t have something to whack ¡®em with, Elle! Aha!¡±


    He pulled two slightly rusty harpoons from the crate, testing their weight in his hands.


    ¡°These¡¯ll do.¡±


    He tensed his legs to get up and run again when they heard it. A strange, whistling shriek echoed across the sky, carried on a green ball of fire. Elivera froze as she watched it lance forward, its sickly light breaking the unnatural dark. It screamed with fury as it struck true, crashing directly on top of the soothsayer. Elivera swore she could hear a sickening pop through the boom of the impact. Her stomach churned with bile as a fine red mist covered them from head to toe with all that remained of the robed man. A small crater steamed in the ground not too far ahead of them, a grave that they would have shared with the soothsayer had Arv not stopped.


    ¡°Home,¡± Neyra said, all color gone from her cheeks. Shamil swallowed and wiped the gore from her face, devoid of expression. Elivera shuddered and closed her eyes. She buried her head into Arv¡¯s shirt, and he ran.


    ***


    Neyra took shallow, forced breaths as she held onto Arv with sweaty, clammy hands. Her head was spinning, and her blood ran ice cold. This was a nightmare. It had to be. Wails of agony still pierced the night, fading slightly as they put distance between themselves and the center of town. Neyra considered just how many times in her life she cursed the distance of their house from the amenities of town and the waters of the sea, but now she couldn¡¯t be more grateful. As they grew closer to the cluster of homes, the mists of darkness eased. The oppressive dark hadn¡¯t reached their home, not yet. Neyra finally felt as if she wasn¡¯t half-blind. With desperation, she scanned the approaching dwellings. Light filled the windows of their home, and she could see shadows moving inside. She choked out a cry of relief as they skidded to a halt in front of the house. There was her father, her blessed, wonderful, wonderful father, rushing out to greet them.


    ¡°Kids!¡± He said, rushing to help the girls down off Arv¡¯s back, ¡°Barcus! Shamil is here! I told you they¡¯d have her!¡±


    He kept his eyes locked on the children, not daring to look away. There was a clanging crash as a stocky, frazzled gnome came running out of the house.


    ¡°Millie!¡± With a cry of relief, he scooped an indignant Shamil into his burly arms. He shook as he held her, obviously trying to restrain tears,


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Da,¡± Shamil said. From behind the two gnomes came another voice, familiar and warm.


    ¡°Thank the old Gods above!¡± she said, ¡°We were coming to get you!¡±


    Neyra¡¯s eyes widened in shock as a figure in full plate armor came clattering out of the doorway. Though covered in small dents, and not particularly polished, the armor was resplendent. Neyra had seen nothing quite like it in her life. Gauntleted hands reached up to remove the helm, revealing the familiar sight of her mother.


    ¡°Ma?¡±


    Neyra couldn¡¯t find words to form the millions of questions running through her mind. They were all cut short as her mother crushed her in a metallic hug, dragging Elivera into her arms as well. Through tears, she looked up at Arv and their father as they came to join in the embrace.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°You wonderful boy,¡± she said, ¡°You did so well.¡±


    Danya laughed and squeezed Arv¡¯s hand tight.


    ¡°We need to get moving,¡± Barcus said, walking over with four backpacks in his hands. Neyra examined her best friend¡¯s father with fresh eyes now. Though not as intensely garbed as her mother, Barcus also wore armor. Studded leather, not plate, covered his chest and shoulders. And over that, he still wore his dingy work apron and a belt of tools around his waist. He cracked his knuckles and adjusted his thick leather gloves after dropping the bags at their feet. Brows furrowed in curiosity, Neyra whipped her head around until she found her father. She hadn¡¯t noticed before in the heat of the moment, but he was also wearing a set of fine leather armor. Well-fletched arrows bristled from a quiver at his hip, and he was taking a moment to string a massive bow in his calloused hands. Who were these people?! And what had they done with her parents??


    Elle, Shamil, and Arv seemed to notice the change in their respective parents now too, and they stared with wide eyes. Danya noted those eyes with a chuckle.


    ¡°Yes, yes¡­ I suppose we owe you some explanations, but later. Barcus is right, we need to move. Put those on, and quick!¡±


    Neyra spared a quick glance into the sturdy, yet roughly sewn pack in her hands. Tin cups and plates, canteen, wine skin, bundles of what she could only imagine were food, small knife, rope¡­it was an honest to Gods survival pack. How long were these sitting in their house for? Forever?? She looked back up with a start, as her mother called her.


    ¡°Neyra! Quickly, go fetch the cloaks and coats.¡±


    Danya jerked her head towards the door. Neyra scrambled to her feet, slinging the pack over her shoulder as she went. She jogged into the house, mindlessly grabbing the cloaks that hung on pegs near the doorway. Her thoughts were elsewhere. With only the briefest hesitation, she hurried up the stairs to the small room she shared with Elivera. She only had a moment. Her eyes watered as she considered the handful of books on her humble shelf. She shook her head and ?found the most important one, her notebook. She snatched the bundle that held her writing implements and stuffed them in her pack. Before even a minute had passed, she was back down the stairs and out the door.


    Her mother eyed her as she hustled past, hands full of the bundled clothing. The others were crowding around the wagon that always sat, mostly unused, tucked behind the back of the house. Barcus led his two mules to the front, eager to get them hitched. They weren¡¯t runners, but they knew to pull well enough. He was talking quickly with Shamil, who walked by his side while rummaging through her spare pack. She pulled out the leather strap and looked at her father questioningly.


    ¡°You know Id¡¯ve made one for you years ago, had ya just asked! But yes, get that on him! Gods send he doesn¡¯t need to run with you again, but better to be ready.¡± Shamil turned to grin at Neyra, who smiled back in earnest.


    It had taken many weeks to scavenge all the straps and buckles, and many more nights of sneaking to take measurements of Arv, who was, mercifully, a VERY deep sleeper. But it was ?ready.


    Arv stood moments later, all strapped into something that could only be described as a halfling harness. It was of modest design. Sturdy leather straps held a small wooden ¡°shelf¡± in place near the small of his back. It stretched the width of his lower back, providing just enough of a ledge for three small pairs of feet to stand on. Small, looped handles near his shoulders provided better handholds than his shirt alone.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be,¡± Barcus said, looking at Neyra with a grin. ¡°You ?were paying attention all those days in the workshop. You and Shamil did well. It¡¯s sturdy and effective. Count me impressed,¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s it feel, Arv?¡± Neyra asked as she beamed up at her brother. The fear of their situation seemed to melt away for a moment as he flexed his shoulders and rolled his arms. He hopped a little in excitement.


    ¡°This will be SO MUCH better! Thank you!¡± He scooped Shamil and Neyra into a hug.


    ¡°Time to go,¡± Adelard said, voice grim. He stood atop the wagon, spyglass to his eye, ¡°We¡¯re about to have company.¡±


    ¡°You heard your father! In! In!¡± Danya said, pushing them into the back of the wagon. Howls filled the air, and a green light pulsed from down the village road. After they were all aboard, she leapt to the front of the wagon alongside her husband.


    ¡°Barcus! Give us some cover! We¡¯re out of here!¡±


    The wagon lurched, and Neyra had to hold on to keep from tumbling out as they launched off into the unknown.


    ***


    Shamil felt like wooden dice in a tin cup as she rattled uncontrollably in the back of the cramped wagon. But even through all the bumps and jolts, her eyes never left her father. What strange spirit had possessed this man? He stood as if he was the hero in one of her stories, his crossbow loaded and ready. His eyes shone with unyielding focus as he scanned the distant horizon. The rattling of the wagon never seemed to phase him. A shiver raced up her spine as another howl pierced the night. She couldn¡¯t believe this was happening. What in the gods was chasing them?


    The landscape passed by in a bumpy blur, landmarks just barely registering to Shamil¡¯s frazzled mind. They were about a mile outside of town now, with nothing but a few warehouses and storage sheds dotting the grassy plains.


    ¡°So the soothsayer¡¯s dead?!¡± Danya shouted into the back of the wagon. Her head craned back and nearly touched with Neyra¡¯s, who stood on tiptoes to reach her mother. Shamil¡¯s best friend was furiously trying to explain what had happened.


    ¡°Damned coward,¡± Adelard said as he gave the reins another snap, ¡°Hiding in the back room, making you come to him. I told him to wait for you outside!¡± He had to shout to be heard, ¡°Danya! Take these, love.¡±


    With practiced expertise, Ma Tallfellow took control of the wagon, allowing her husband to hop into the back with Barcus and the children. He motioned for them to huddle close to him, all except her father, who kept his post.


    ¡°The man gave a divination, you see. He told the council, in no uncertain terms, that danger was coming to our shores. A danger, he said, that we stood no hope of fighting against.¡± His eyes darkened. ¡°Once the arguing began, I knew we had no choice but to run, no choice but to get home and get prepared. I left him with explicit instructions to help you if you came, fat lot of good that did.¡± he shook his head in disgust, ¡°I should have stayed. I should have done something better. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Shamil stared at him with wide eyes. She had never seen Master Tallfellow so vulnerable, a state made all the stranger by the armor and equipment he wore. She glanced at Elivera, Neyra, and Arv, trying to imagine what they must be thinking. Elivera clung to her brother, using his leg to keep steady in the wagon''s jostling. Her expression was strained, and her eyes glistened with a soft sheen of tears as her father spoke to them. Arv crouched down as small as he could make himself, but he kept his head held high. His yellow eyes almost glowed in the dim light as he stared ahead at his father. She couldn¡¯t read him, which was quite unusual for the normally expressive orc. Shamil sucked in a sharp breath as she glanced at Neyra.


    Neyra was her oldest and best friend, a near-sister to her in every conceivable way. And as such, Shamil was quite apt at understanding how her mind worked, how she handled things. Neyra was putting up a front. Shamil knew she was trying to be brave for her siblings, brave for her, but she was barely keeping it together. Her knuckles were white, clenched in fists at the sides of her slight frame. Auburn brows furrowed over her big brown eyes, and Neyra almost looked fierce, if not for the slight quiver in her lower lip.


    ¡°Da,¡± she said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be sorry. We-¡±


    Neyra¡¯s words cut short as a familiar shrieking whine screeched through the air.


    ¡°INCOMING!¡± Shamil¡¯s father bellowed as he threw himself at her with desperate speed. Her father¡¯s arms enveloped her little body as an explosion rocked the ground right next to their wagon.


    ***


    If the day had not already been full of impossible things, Neyra would¡¯ve been shocked at the word that left her mother¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Danya yelled. The wagon tipped dangerously to one side as she lost control of the beasts reined in her hands.


    ¡°Out! Out!¡± Barcus shouted, Shamil still clutched in his arms. He sprang out of the wagon with surprising strength, bearing his daughter away from the impending crash.


    ¡°Arv! Get Elle!¡± Adelard yelled as he scooped Neyra up.


    Before she knew what was happening, Neyra crashed to the ground in a heap with her father. Through blurry eyes, she could see her brother bearing Elle to safety as the wagon careened out of control. Her mother soon followed, jumping out to land with a loud clank before the wagon tipped over. Hot air swept Neyra¡¯s face as fire struck again, this time catching the back of the now-empty wagon.


    ¡°Go!¡± Her father¡¯s voice sounded muffled as he held her tighter to his chest. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing as her father spirited her away into the fading light.


    ***


    Elivera clung desperately to her brother as they left the wagon behind. They fled off the road, taking a direct path to one of the old storage houses that stood on the outskirts of town. Night was coming in truth now, made all the worse by that awful black mist that was slowly encroaching on them. Compared to Arv and Shamil, Elle¡¯s eyes were useless in darkness like this. Despite that fact, she could see enough. And what she saw made her want to shut her eyes forever.


    Small, flickering pinpricks of light dotted the tree line. Orange and metallic, they reminded her of how Arv¡¯s eyes would catch the light in a pitch black room. A bone chilling howl named those lights for what they were, the eyes of wolves. Even with that information, horrible enough as it was, she wasn''t truly prepared for the creature that prowled out from under the deepest dark of the mists. This was no natural beast.


    It resembled a wolf, though it stood even larger than the wagon they had just abandoned. Long, thick quills jutted from matted gray fur, and they bristled and quivered as the beast shook its head. The monstrosity exuded pure terror, a terror that remained unmatched in Elivera¡¯s heart until she saw its rider.


    Hunched over the beast¡¯s back was a figure clad in armor black as obsidian. The plates overlapped in a haphazard mess of straps and savage spikes, wet with blood. In its hands it clutched a wicked spear, its pointed tip raised directly at them in challenge.


    Abruptly, Arv turned a corner, whip lashing her around like a rag doll as they fled into the cover of the small cluster of storage buildings. Elivera¡¯s heart felt as if it was trying to pound its way out of her chest.


    ¡°Here! Quickly! Quickly!¡± Danya said, wrenching the massive door open and ushering them inside. The wood groaned with the unexpected use, hinges creaking in protest as she forced enough room for them to rush in. The musty air was nearly pitch black, the only light coming from a small lantern that Neyra clutched in trembling hands.


    ¡°No! No no no!¡± Shamil said. Her strangled whimper pierced the dim, causing Elle to redirect her gaze. She watched with tearful eyes as her own father restrained Shamil, holding her tight as Barcus pressed a kiss to her shaking forehead. Elle couldn¡¯t hear what Barcus said to his daughter. She only watched as he sprinted out the door with his crossbow raised and loaded.


    Adelard slowly released a numb Shamil, giving her a reassuring squeeze as he set her on the floor next to Neyra, who was nodding slowly as their mother talked to her in furious whispers.


    ¡°Arv, quickly! Help with this,¡± Adelard said. With a thump, Elle found herself deposited on the ground as Arv rushed to help their father. The two were lifting the lid off of a large crate, wood splintering slightly as they pried it open. ¡°It will do, lad.¡± Adelard turned to find Elle in the darkness. With a forlorn sigh, he scooped her up into his arms, holding her head to his shoulder as they walked to the open crate. She didn¡¯t know when she started crying. Her father¡¯s voice came to her in only a whisper, the words barely registering to her frazzled mind.


    ¡°Listen to me, Elle. Your mother and I are so proud of you. Your spirit, your ferocity, your cleverness ¡ª never forget it. I¡ªI love you, my little one.¡±


    His voice was cracking by the end as he gently set her down in the deeper darkness of the crate. Elle was glad she couldn¡¯t see his face because it surely would have broken her more. Her own face was a mess of tears, falling hot down her cheeks.


    ¡°Now you, Arv. You¡¯ll fit just barely, there¡¯s a good lad¡­¡± the rest of his words to Arv drowned out in Elle¡¯s mind as she put her whole effort into not falling completely apart. She barely registered as Arv¡¯s giant legs swung into the crate, gently avoiding her. Arv was sniffing as he reached out to take Shamil, who was completely silent. The girls clung together near Arv. Finally, a soft light came as Danya approached the crate, holding a trembling Neyra in her arms. Armor clanked softly as she pressed a tender kiss onto Neyra¡¯s head. The lamp¡¯s light struck Neyra¡¯s face, briefly illuminating a gaze that was completely hollow, her tears long spent. She joined the others, clutching the small lantern as if it was anchoring her to life itself.


    ¡°We love you.¡± Danya whispered, and the lid of the crate crashed shut.


    ***


    Neyra shut her eyes and whispered,


    ¡°One, two, three, four¡­¡± her voice felt prickly and dry, and she could have done the job just as well in her mind, but saying the words out loud was the only thing keeping her grounded. Listen to me, Neyra. My sweet Neyra, you must be strong. A lump swelled in her throat as she suppressed a shudder, her mother¡¯s voice echoing in her mind. Barcus is distracting them, but he needs our help. He won¡¯t last on his own.


    ¡°Fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two, fifty-three¡­¡±


    Even from the inside of the crate, a crate tucked far into the back of the warehouse, a warehouse that stood behind heavy wooden doors, the sounds of battle still reached her. Muffled as they were, the horrible noise still made bile rise in her throat. The howls and snarls of wolves, the guttural cries that could only be the black armored warriors, the clang of metal on metal, all of it made a sickening cacophony in her mind. Stay hidden, stay safe, and don¡¯t dare try to leave this spot until the count of eight hundred. Can you do that, my girl?


    ¡°Ninety-seven, ninety-eight¡­¡±


    Her fingers trembled around the lamp, casting eerie shadows in the confines of the crate. Her brother and sister took deep, deliberate breaths, each in their own world of grief right now, just as she was. Shamil just stared with empty eyes into the heart of the flickering lamp. Do you remember where we picnicked this summer? Just off the main road, the giant tree you all love so much? Yes, good. When the coast is clear, you take your siblings and Shamil and you make for that tree. It¡¯s not too far, just a couple miles north. You know the way.


    ¡°One hundred fifty-seven, one hundred fifty-eight, one hundred fifty-nine¡­¡±


    From out in the distance, an explosion rocked the ground, sending slight tremors all the way to their hiding spot. We will hold them off. We¡¯ve dealt with worse before. But we may have to lead them off of your trail. Wait at the tree, if we aren¡¯t there by sunrise you MUST continue north, do you understand? Make for Zerial. There¡¯s a government office there. You MUST tell them what happened here.


    Finally, the sounds of the fight eased. To her horror, Neyra heard the faint, continued howls of the bestial wolves. Whatever the struggle had been, that ominous sound did not bode well for the fates of her parents.


    Eventually, silence. Not a sound from outside drifted into their small enclosure. She looked up and paled at the sight of her siblings.


    Gone was Elivera¡¯s amiable smile, and her brown eyes peeked from puffy eyelids still red from tears, staring listlessly at the flickering lantern light. She just sat there, little arms curled around her gangly pre-teen legs, rocking back and forth against Arv.


    Keep an eye on our little one, her mother had said with a forced smile, hopelessly trying to comfort a child close to panic. Elivera¡¯s a handful, but her tenacity will be a strength to you both! Trust her, trust in each other, but most importantly, watch over her. She looks up to you more than you know. Neyra squeezed her eyes tight, fighting to keep that image of her mother alive in her mind while also bearing the unspeakable weight of her words. Mother had embraced her then, handing her the small lantern.


    ¡°I¡¯ve lost count,¡± Neyra said, her small voice shaking. Nobody answered her. She looked around the crate. Shamil crouched in front of her, her shoulders slumped, as she hung her head down to look at the wooden slats below them. She muttered something inaudible and shook her head. Elivera just kept staring. Craning her neck slightly, Neyra looked up at Arv.


    His green skin twisted between his brows, which sat furrowed in concentration. She couldn¡¯t tell if they were tears or sweat, but small droplets streaked his cheeks and forehead. Take care of our boy, Neyra. Don¡¯t you ever let him forget who he is. The world might try to make him into something he¡¯s not¡­don¡¯t let it. You know how much he looks up to you, too. He has since the day we found him. Neyra cried in earnest at this point in the conversation, as her mother led her to the crate and scooped her into her arms. And that leads me to this. Watch over them, Neyra. Protect them, take care of them. But, most importantly, let them take care of YOU. You can¡¯t do this alone. Neyra pressed trembling fingers to her cheek, trying to feel where that last kiss from her mother had been. Your father and I are so very proud of you, my little love. Never forget.


    ¡°Eight hundred!¡± Arv said with a jolt, almost as if coming out of a trance. A strange pang struck Neyra¡¯s heart. At least someone came through where I failed. He looked around at the little ones beneath him. ¡°Reckon we can move now?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Neyra said, ¡°Lift me up, I¡¯ll go take a look,¡±


    ¡°Not alone, you won¡¯t!¡± Shamil spat, head snapping up from her shoulders as she scrambled to her feet.


    ¡°Fine, fine?! All of us, let¡¯s go. But quietly,¡±


    The wood of the lid creaked as Arv poked his head out of the crate. With a surprising amount of grace, Arv gripped the bulky lid in hand and set it gently to the side. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything strange, don¡¯t hear nothin¡¯ either,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Everyone hop on,¡± Neyra whispered, climbing up to her spot on Arv¡¯s back. She felt too drained to even admire the workmanship of the harness, which did its job marvelously. Carefully, she closed the window of the lantern completely, hiding its small light entirely. Elivera whimpered ever so slightly as she did so. Neyra reached out to grab her sister¡¯s hand, providing a quick squeeze, ¡°We can¡¯t risk being seen, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Elivera replied in a tiny whisper, squeezing Neyra¡¯s hand back. Arv quickly secured everyone on his back and hopped out of the crate, leading them all out into the silent darkness of the warehouse.


    ***


    Arv blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the new lighting. It was fully night now, and while to him their surroundings stood in perfect (albeit black and white) clarity. He knew that without the lantern, Elivera and Neyra would be as good as blind. Not for the first time this night, he gave a silent prayer of thanks for his orcish blood, which would help him bear his family to safety.


    ¡°Shamil,¡± he whispered, careful to keep his voice low, ¡°How are your eyes?¡±


    ¡°Good enough,¡± she muttered from her spot behind his shoulder, seeing the world just as he did, ¡°And you?¡±


    Arv¡¯s only reply was an affirmative grunt as he carefully wove their way through the crates and boxes of the cluttered warehouse. As he stepped, Neyra whispered to them in a strained voice, telling them about what Danya had said. They needed to make their way north, with or without their parents. Arv swallowed as a bead of sweat trickled down his face. They soon reached the door that their parents led them through such a short time earlier. Arv paused and took an extra moment to listen to the night. It seemed eerily quiet, not even the sounds of the night creatures and the wind in the grass came to him, no matter how hard he strained his ears. Ever so slowly, he reached out and pulled the great door open just a crack to peer out into the open night.


    He could barely make out the smoldering remains of the cart in the distance. Feeble flames still danced in spots. Other small patches of light dotted the landscape, varying in intensity. Towards the direction of the village, he swore that the sky held that eerie glow that spoke of burning buildings. But there was no time to worry or wonder. He forced himself to focus on what was right in front of him.


    If the battle happened just outside, it left surprisingly little evidence. Small spatters and smears of blood covered the ground thirty paces outside of the warehouse door, making a grim trail deeper off into the woods. Neyra¡¯s small hand tapped his shoulder with urgency.


    ¡°What do you see?¡±


    ¡°Blood,¡± Arv took a step forward as if to follow it, ¡°They must¡¯ve gone that way.¡±


    ¡°Then they did what they said,¡± Shamil said from his other side, ¡°They led them away, but for how long?¡± Her voice was as cold as ice, and Arv could feel her hands tense on his shoulder.


    Neyra took a shuddering breath that tickled the back of Arv¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, each word sounding as if it took a battle to leave her mouth. Arv exhaled a breath that he didn¡¯t know he had been holding, and with legs made of lead, he started the trudge north into the abyssal night.


    ***


    Shamil loved her gnomish eyes. She especially loved how they allowed her to see the secret beauty and life of the night, a beauty few others were privileged to see. But the evening sights, which once enthralled her senses with joy, now seemed a bleak and horrible backdrop to the tragedy that had unfolded that night.


    Shamil didn¡¯t know how long they walked. Well¡­how long Arv walked. The night scenery passed by in a hazy, bumpy blur as Arv jogged in brief spurts, careful to keep as quiet as he could. The four children were unusually quiet. There was no chatter, no teasing, no sound at all but labored breathing and whimpers from sore throats. Shamil felt as if her chest might implode from the stress. She wished for nothing more than to bury her face in Arv¡¯s back and just shut everything out. But the Tallfellows needed her. They needed her eyes; they needed her strength. Shamil wanted to be strong. She wanted to be everything they needed, but it was all so much. Her Da¡¯s words came to her as she held tight to Arv¡¯s shirt. Remember how much I love you. Never EVER forget it. Protect them, protect each other. Make me proud, my Millie.


    Her eyes began to blur and sting with tears as she shook her head, forcing them back down.


    ¡°Later. Feel it all later,¡± she muttered, voice barely a whisper. She was confident the Tallfellows could still hear her. But she was long past the point of caring. Neyra let go of her harness handle long enough to place her hand on Shamil¡¯s, giving it a weak squeeze. Shamil knew she was exhausted. They all were, but the gesture gave her heart that bit of strength she needed.


    Arv suddenly grunted and stopped in his tracks, chest heaving from the exertion. Shamil scanned the forest ahead, eyes searching for that familiar sight. And there it was, the enormous tree. She gave Arv a pat on the back,


    ¡°I see it too! Good job, big guy,¡±


    She slipped off of the harness and onto the cold ground. Two soft thumps announced Elivera and Neyra¡¯s presence on the ground behind her. Shamil turned and grabbed their hands, knowing that they were as good as blind out here.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve climbed this enough to manage it in the dark?¡± She hissed, leading their hands to touch the rough, familiar bark of their favorite tree.


    ¡°I¡­I think so,¡± Elle whispered, reaching her arms out to the knots and grooves that they blessedly knew by heart. But before she could make it far, Shamil saw Arv¡¯s big hand on the back of Elle¡¯s shirt, lifting her effortlessly up the lowest branch of the giant tree.


    A distant howl pricked Shamil¡¯s ears as she watched, spurring her to climb the tree alongside Neyra, who was now being hoisted in the same way as her sister had. The girls scooted quickly to their preferred spots in the great branches of the tree, making room for Arv, who climbed after.


    Shamil strained her ears, but now she could only hear the rustling of leaves in the wind. She took a deep breath and then she spoke in the softest of whispers.


    ¡°Arv, you need to rest. Neyra and I will keep watch. Well¡­I¡¯ll watch. Neyra will listen.¡± She spared a glance at Neyra, who nodded with a grimace.


    ¡°I can still keep a lookout for torches. And she¡¯s right. Arv, Elle,¡± she nudged them slightly, ¡°Try to rest. Okay? We¡¯ll wake you.¡±


    Arv looked at them ?with his big, yellow eyes before sighing and muttering his agreement. Elle didn¡¯t need as much convincing. They made themselves as comfortable as they could while staying huddled under the protective cover of the leaves. Arv had his arms wrapped protectively around Elivera, who shuddered slightly in the cold breeze. Then their labored breathing finally slowed. If complete sleep hadn¡¯t come, at least some measure of rest had instead. Shamil rubbed her eyes, trying to blink some more strength into them. It was going to be a long night.


    ***


    Arv woke with a start to the booming sound of howls, howls that seemed horrifically close to their tree shelter. Frantically, he looked side to side, counting the little heads that were huddled around him. Elle stirred slightly, waking up with his sudden movement. Shamil and Neyra both hurried to put steadying hands on his arm. Shamil frantically signaled with her free hand to not make a sound. Arv followed her eyes, scanning the woods below them with intensity. It didn¡¯t take long for him to make out the small dots of light in the distance. They could be nothing but torches, or maybe lanterns? They were moving at a steady pace, but seemed to pick up speed with the next bestial howl.


    The wind kicked up, and with it, a new sound that made his blood run ice cold. Screams. Not just any screams, screams of children. From this distance, he couldn¡¯t be sure, but in his heart, he knew who the voices belonged to. Villagers. Pirians. Friends. Children who grew up right alongside him. And they had been found.


    ¡°No! NOOOO! Stop!¡± A shrill, squeaking voice pierced the night, followed by a gurgling cry. He heard a small gasping sound from his side as a pale-faced Neyra sat there in horror, hands to her mouth as if forcing herself not to scream. Elle whimpered in the crook of his arm, her face buried to keep the sounds away. Shamil just looked dead ahead with the same intensity as Arv, focused on the bobbing lights. Her brows scrunched and her cheeks flushed with rage. Arv felt his knuckles turn white as the sounds continued their awful chorus.


    ¡°SOMEONE HELP US! PLEASE HELP!¡± another child¡¯s voice pleaded into the unforgiving night, its words rising above the surrounding screams and howls. Instead of ice, Arv¡¯s blood ran now like fire. The rage building inside him seemed ready to burst. He could take them, he could do something, he could ¡ª his line of thought cut short as he felt a hand on his face. Neyra gently forced him to turn back and look at her. Her freckled cheeks glistened with tears, and she trembled as she shook her head. She mouthed the words, grimacing in pain as she did. We can¡¯t. We just can¡¯t, Arv.


    Arv looked into his sister¡¯s face for just a moment before hanging his head in angry defeat, that burning hot rage now leaking out of his eyes. What good was his gods-forsaken strength if he couldn¡¯t use it to help?! The screams continued to echo in the distance, intermingled with guttural shouts and the howls of those beasts. He gritted his teeth into a snarl hard enough to make his tusks prick his upper lip. Neyra just kept her hand on him, stroking his forehead with her thumb. Elivera continued her soft cries into his side, clutching at him as if she might fall. Arv spared one brief glance up, and met Shamil¡¯s eyes as she stared ahead, torches and death reflecting in her eyes.


    ***


    Neyra and Shamil eventually took their turn to rest, but not until the sounds of the nearby slaughter were well gone. And after what seemed to be an eternal night, Neyra finally blinked her bleary eyes into the first true light of day. The sun was finally, blessedly, making its grand appearance on the distant horizon. It felt like the first light she had seen in a lifetime. Her eyes drifted to her siblings and, although she expected it, she was still startled to see the state of them. Soot, sweat, dirt, and soothsayer blood covered them all from head to toe. But they were alive. For now.


    She took quick stock of their belongings as the others stirred. They managed their flight through the night with all four packs still in their possession, their contents all accounted for. While the sun warmed her skin, she still felt cold inside as she realized what the morning light meant. Dawn had come, and their parents were still nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Neyra?¡± Elivera asked, her head poking out of her disheveled cloak. With a small smile, Neyra leaned over closer to her little sister and placed a comforting hand on her cheek as she continued, ¡°Where¡¯s Ma and Da? Have they made it yet?¡±


    Before she could respond, she felt Shamil stir behind her.


    ¡°No sign yet, or Arv would¡¯ve woken us,¡± Shamil said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, ¡°He couldn¡¯t sleep after¡­after that. He¡¯s been up there all night.¡± She pointed further up the tree and Neyra could just make out the shadowy outline of her brother''s feet crouched on one of the stronger branches. With a sigh, Neyra gathered herself up and crept up towards Arv¡¯s perch. She had to climb even higher to sit at eye level with him, straining her neck to see through the leaves.


    ¡°Mornin, sis,¡± Arv said. His voice was monotone, and his eyes barely seemed to register that she was there. He focused on the sky to the South of them. Neyra turned her head and found herself hooked on the sight with the same intensity as Arv.


    There seemed to be a massive wall of black just a few miles away from their refuge. The terror that leapt into her throat announced this ¡°wall¡± for what it truly was, the same black clouds of death that had descended on their home.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t moved, as far as I can tell,¡± He said, finally turning to look at her in earnest. ¡°And I haven¡¯t seen anythin¡¯ else come out of it neither. Not those riders, or¡­¡± His voice trailed off, leaving the meaning of his words hanging in the air. Neyra took a breath and nodded.


    ¡°We¨Cwe can wait? Just a little ?longer?¡± She looked at Arv, hoping to the Gods that she didn¡¯t look as scared as she felt. Arv shook his head glumly and turned to face her. Bloodshot veins rimmed his golden yellow irises, and exhaustion made his eyelids look puffy and dark.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± he said, turning back to stare at the doom on the horizon, ¡°But what if it moves again?¡±


    Neyra gulped and squeezed her eyes shut.


    ¡°One more hour. Just one. Okay? I have all our things. We¡¯re ready to leave at a second¡¯s notice.¡± She put her little hand on her brother''s arm, and his big one soon covered it. He gave her a squeeze and nodded his head.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ***


    The hour came and went with devastating speed, and still their parents never arrived.


    From her brother¡¯s back, Elivera could turn and get a good view of the tree, still in the same place it had been, just rapidly shrinking as they gained distance. Her heart lurched in her throat when the familiar sight finally left her view completely, the finality of their situation setting in.


    Her life was changed forever. She glanced over at Neyra and was struck by how hollow and defeated her older sister looked. It was profoundly unsettling. And although she couldn¡¯t see Arv¡¯s face, she could feel from the way he held himself that he was just as haunted and dejected as Neyra was. What were they going to do? What was she going to do? Her older siblings were always the ones there for her. But who would take care of them? Their parents were gone, and they were on their own. She needed to be brave, braver than she had ever been.


    There was no going back to who she used to be. Gone was the little girl who trailed along behind her big sister and brother, always struggling to keep up, always trying to prove she could do what they could. That girl was dead. She died the moment she was placed in that box. She was something stronger now. She had to be. There was no doubt in her tiny heart as it thundered away with determination. No matter what came their way, she would not be a burden. Not this time.


    ***


    Neyra sent a silent prayer up to the old gods as the great walls of Zerial appeared in the distance. She was almost certain that they were lost, on multiple occasions, in fact. But their combined survival skills had delivered them to safety.


    The long journey north had passed without incident¡­almost suspiciously without incident. As the days went by, they found themselves almost confused at the lack of peril. They traveled by daylight, staying just off of the main road, taking care to look out for others who may have escaped. But as the miles passed on and on, they never saw another soul. Not until a man came jogging up the road about a mile outside the city gates.


    ¡°Hail!¡± He said in a booming voice, ¡°What news from the south?¡± Arv came to a stop and looked down at the man with a suspicious stare, his grip tightening ever so slightly on his harpoon. The man continued on, either not noticing their tension or not caring, ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting no less than ten caravans and none have shown, save you lot. Has there been a quake? A storm? What sort of calamity could have possibly kept all but a ragtag group of¡­¡± he looked at Arv carefully, ¡°... kids? from traveling our Southern road?¡±


    Neyra took a deep breath.


    ¡°We¡­there was an attack. Black clouds came from the sea and swallowed our town. Black riders came with them, they¡­they¡­¡± Her voice broke and she shuddered with the memories.


    ¡°Have there really been no others?¡± Shamil asked, giving the man an incredulous look from atop Arv¡¯s back. He had gone pale at Neyra¡¯s words.


    ¡°Well shit. They told me, but I didn¡¯t believe¡­¡± He shook his head, knuckles to his forehead. ¡°You¡¯d best follow me. The judges will want to talk to you.¡±


    Without another word, the man did an about face and started back up the road he came. Arv hustled after him.


    ***


    ¡°We received a missive. Just one, delivered by bird. Said the same as you, black clouds, dark riders¡­death and destruction. But we didn¡¯t know if it was true. Judge Harlan sent some scouts down south, but none¡¯ve come back. And now I¡¯m afraid they never will.¡±


    The man spoke in a hushed tone as he led them through the city gates. The exhaustion and trauma of the last weeks still wasn''t enough to keep them from staring, mouths agape, and the fantastic sights around them.


    The brightly painted buildings screamed out in shades of orange and blue and red and green, their equally colorful tiled rooftops glistening in the noonday sun. Smells from a thousand different sources wafted through the air, some delightful, some foul. Children ran and played ball through the winding streets, their bare feet clapping on the smooth cobblestones. Vendors shouted from every corner, selling flowers and fruits of every color and size imaginable. Arv gave a start as he saw an orc walk by, easily two feet taller than him, his tusks and muscles pronounced and matured. Arv¡¯s gaze followed him as he passed, unable to keep from staring. His mouth fell agape and a strange feeling gripped his chest as he continued to look at the first adult orc he had ever seen in his life.


    The crowd turned even more diverse the further the man led them into the city, persons of all shapes and colors and sizes mingling about their business. Arv¡¯s stomach growled as they passed a stand selling various meats on sticks, the pain reminding him of the weeks spent foraging on the road. But there would be time enough for that later¡­he hoped.


    Before long, the group found themselves in front of a grand building in the city''s center. It was easily ten times the size of the town hall in Piria, and a hundred times as extravagant. Without even a pause to admire the craftsmanship, the man hurried them up the steps and through a set of massive doors. The interior matched what Arv expected, with furniture finer than anything else he had ever seen. Colors assaulted his eyes from every direction, and the sweet smell of flowers filled his nose as they approached a stern-looking woman sitting at a counter. The man whispered to her, and she nodded, turning to look at Arv and the three little people on his back. She raised an eyebrow and adjusted the spectacles on her nose.


    ¡°Take a seat. The judge will be available shortly.¡± She gestured to a plush bench off to the side of the room. ¡°And take these. You must be starving.¡±


    Arv¡¯s mouth watered as she handed over a tray of beans and rice with flatbread. Not his favorite, but he would eat anything at this point. He took it with a grateful nod and stepped over to the bench. Three little thumps struck the floor, and he felt as the weight of the girls left his back. With a sigh, he sank down onto the bench, allowing at least a small part of him to relax for the first time in weeks. His sisters and Shamil took what they needed from the plate, and only then did Arv eat. It barely put a dent in the growling hole in his stomach, but he was still grateful?. Arv looked one more time at the girls huddled on the bench beside him. Then he leaned back, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.


    ***


    Shamil stared ahead at the painting on the wall. It was some exotic bird, probably from somewhere up north. She didn¡¯t know, and she didn¡¯t care. It was a shitty painting, anyway. Her head ached and her eyes burned from the strain, but she kept staring. If she stared hard enough, maybe the howls of wolves and the smell of blood would get out of her head.


    All was quiet save the scratch of the stern woman¡¯s quill at her desk, and the unusually gentle snores of Arv beside her. She glanced over at Neyra and Elle. They stared dead ahead at the painting as well, trying to forget, just as she was.


    ¡°High Judge Harlan will see you now,¡±


    Shamil blinked in surprise. She hadn¡¯t even heard the woman approach. With a soft smile, she led them down a hallway and to an impressive door. She knocked once and gave them one more gentle smile before heading back the way she came. It was only a moment before the door swung open, revealing an older man in official looking robes. He gave a slight start at the sight of Arv, but his expression quickly softened again.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Come in, come in.¡±


    He bowed to the side and ushered them into a modest office. A large desk filled one side of the room, and the walls seemed made of books for the amount of bookshelves that lined them. A bench not unlike the one they waited on stood across from the desk. He motioned for them to take a seat as he strode around to his own plush chair. The moment he sat, he went straight to business.


    ¡°Now,¡± he said carefully, ¡°I understand it may cause great distress to relive it, but I need you to tell me exactly what happened to your village. Spare no detail. I need you to remember everything you can. Please,¡±


    The children glanced at one another apprehensively, and Shamil gave Neyra a reassuring nod. Shamil watched as her best friend took a deep breath and spoke.


    It took them nearly an hour to relay the whole harrowing experience. Judge Harlan interrupted occasionally, asking for clarification or pressing for more detail. But he was empathetic and gentle as he listened. His quill scratched furiously as he took notes of everything that was said. At the end of it all, he leaned back in his chair with a sigh.


    ¡°I wish I could tell you that your parents arrived before you did, but they did not.? If they arrive, we will inform you immediately.¡±


    Shamil¡¯s heart sank as he said it, even though it was news she had braced herself for.


    ¡°Now, as for this army of shadow, it is unlike anything I have ever heard of in the entire existence of this continent. I fear that if what you say is true, more is at stake than the southern villages. Much, much more.¡± He rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°I have a great deal to think about, and much more to report to my superiors. But please know that what you¡¯ve provided me might save the lives of thousands. You¡¯ve done a great service, and your parents would be proud.¡±


    He smiled sadly at them as Elle sniffled. Harlan opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment.


    ¡°So¡­what now?¡± Shamil asked, watching as he scribbled. He looked up, his quill only pausing for the briefest moment.


    ¡°Yes, that is what I am attending to¡­¡± he said, adding the last flourish to his writing. He then poured wax and pressed in his ring. He leaned over the desk and handed the sheet to Neyra, who took it with shaking hands.


    ¡°Just a few blocks north of here is an establishment called Greybeard¡¯s Tavern. I am good friends with the proprietor. He¡¯s an odd fellow, but a good man. Show this to him. He¡¯ll know you¡¯ve come on my order. Master Greybeard will take you in. At least until your parents arrive in the city.¡±


    He rose from his seat, and the rest of them followed. ¡°Until we next meet,¡± he said, bowing as Shamil followed the Tallfellows out of the room in a haze.


    Soon they stood in front of a bustling tavern, sealed paper in hand.


    ¡°This is the place.¡± Neyra said, looking up at the sign that swayed and creaked in the breeze. She steeled herself, raised her chin up, and boldly walked through the double doors, the others hustling after her.


    ***


    Greybeard was indeed a bit of a strange fellow. For a start, he had no first name, or at least none he would willingly disclose. He just went by Greybeard. He claimed to be in his three hundreds, pretty old for a dwarf, but Neyra could swear just by looking into his eyes that he was much older than that. Perhaps it was just his grandfatherly wisdom, or the confidence with which he ran his business. But no matter the dwarf¡¯s age, Judge Harlan was right. He was a good man. And he took all four of them in immediately, with no question.


    He was a dwarf in every sense of the word, the top of his balding head only reaching to Arv¡¯s waist. His bushy beard was a little more white than gray, and it certainly was the most distinctive thing about him. He did everything in his power to make them feel at home in his tavern, giving them full access to the upstairs living quarters. And as the days turned to weeks, and the weeks turned to months, he became more and more of a father figure to them. He gave them a home, gave them work, and gave them love. And several months later, when those cursed shadows appeared on the horizon once again, he took them by their hands and they all fled together.

 Recruited

    Elivera sighed and put her hands on her hips, examining her work. She could see her own reflection in the shine of the polished wood. Her face was thinner, and her features a little more defined as she entered her thirteenth year. She smiled at herself and then went back to the bar to fetch more polish and a fresh cloth. The tavern would open soon, and there was still work to be done. There always was.


    ¡°Admiring that pretty face of yours, sis?¡± Neyra asked from her perch behind the bar. Both Tallfellow girls had to step up on stools in order to face each other over the enormous counter. Greybeard¡¯s Tavern had accommodations for all manner of folk, including little ones. Most taverns in Ashikaia did. The diversity of the population here still astounded Elle.


    Neyra scrunched her face up at Elle and smiled. Now well into her sixteenth year, Neyra sat at the precipice of adulthood. And it showed. Her cheekbones were more prominent, with plentiful freckles still scattering their surface. Her lips were fuller, and her ears had finally reached their full, pointed length. While Neyra had gained absolutely no height in the years since fleeing home, she had come in possession of far more curves than she used to have. Neyra was quite beautiful, though she would never believe you if you told her.


    Elle smiled as she watched her big sister, hard at work cleaning mugs and tankards. She looked even more like their mother now. Or at least, she thought she did. Sadness crept into Elivera''s heart as she tried to capture her mother¡¯s features in her mind. Her fingers fumbled for the small seashell necklace that hung down her neck. The small likeness of their family contained inside it was smudged and blurry. With every day that passed, the details got hazier and hazier, and she feared the day when they would disappear entirely.


    Neyra glanced at her, awaiting a reply. Elle just blushed, trying to change the subject,


    ¡°You know, I liked the layout of the old place better.¡± She looked around, drumming her fingers on the bar. Neyra gave her a playful smack with her cloth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t dare let him hear you say that. He¡¯ll get in one of his moods,¡± Neyra¡¯s expression was serious, but her eyes still shone with mirth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him hear you say what now?¡±


    A gruff voice came from the storeroom. Greybeard poked his face out from the doorway, a keg of ale under each arm.


    ¡°Only that this new building has so much more potential than the old one!¡± Neyra said, ¡°and far fewer rats, too,¡±


    She winked at Elle, who suppressed a laugh. With a loud grunt, Greybeard set the kegs on the countertop and slid over to where the girls were chatting.


    ¡°It¡¯s a damnable shame we had to run. A bloody, gods damned shame. That building was in my family for centuries, centuries!¡±


    He spoke with feeling, but spared a smile for the Tallfellow girls. Of course, he truly had been sorry to leave the original Greybeard¡¯s Tavern all those months ago, but they had escaped relatively unscathed. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the rest of the refugees from Zerial, a city that now lay in ruin under the oppressive darkness of the shadow army. The Tallfellows and Shamil had recognized the signs immediately, and with their warning, Greybeard had much of their wealth stowed and was ready to flee at a moment¡¯s notice. They were among the first to run, and also among the first to arrive in the great walled city of Ashikaia.


    Ashikaia was every bit as grand as Zerial had been, and even more so. The city stretched between the western and eastern shores of the continent, spanning fifty miles across from shore to shore, forming a great divide between north and south. It was home to hundreds of thousands. And, as rumor would suggest, it was one of the few strongholds left against the oppressive threat of the shadow army.


    Their preparedness had served them well, enabling them to find a large enough building both to live in and to do business while many others still lived in camps. Though Elle was convinced that Greybeard''s suspiciously extensive friend network had something to do with it. Despite all that had happened in the last two years of her life, Elle felt mostly grateful. They were still alive, and they were still together.


    Just then, the doors of the tavern swung open with a loud bang. Elle nearly jumped out of her skin as she turned to see who was there. Greybeard just laughed,


    ¡°Why, Miss Shamil! I thought you were in the forge today with Arv!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re tryin¡¯ to get me to wait tables like these two dunderheads, you can forget it!¡± She said with a sly smile as she strode briskly up to the bar. She stood on her tiptoes to give Greybeard a small kiss on the cheek as she went past him to the stairs.


    ¡°So what are you doing home so early, then?¡± Elivera asked, eyebrow raised, already knowing the answer. Shamil just smiled wickedly as she hurried upstairs to their living quarters. Neyra rolled her eyes and just kept at her work polishing the mugs. Before long, Shamil came thumping back down the stairs, a massive crossbow slung across her back.


    ¡°Hitting the range again?¡± Elle asked.


    ¡°Like that¡¯s even a question,¡± Neyra said, flashing a bright smile at Shamil as she passed. Shamil stuck her tongue out in reply.


    ¡°So? If Arv wants to cover my shift so I can get in more practice, who am I to stop him?¡± She checked her quiver of bolts. ¡°He does like hanging out with the other orcs, you know that. Plus, he keeps saying something about how the forge gets him more muscle gain than the sparring ring. There are fewer recruiters staring down his back there, too.¡±


    Neyra frowned slightly at the mention of recruiters, but Elle worked to contain her excitement as she pressed Shamil for details.


    ¡°Are they back? I thought they were scouting out the western half of the city this month.¡±


    Shamil shook her head as she went about checking the components of her weapon,


    ¡°Nah, this is another group. They¡¯re gettin¡¯ more persistent, Elle. Before you know it, they¡¯ll take anyone, even a little waif like you.¡±


    She winked as she teased Elivera.


    ¡°Now, now, miss, there¡¯ll be none of that,¡± Greybeard said with a sigh, stepping in to put a hand on Elivera¡¯s shoulder. Her cheeks reddened as he did.


    ¡°You know well as I do that Elle here is gonna get a summons for officer training any week now.¡± He looked down at the floor and absentmindedly stroked his beard, ¡°Or maybe any day now, by the sounds of it¡­¡±


    Elle willed her cheeks to return to normal color and continued her polishing. Her time spent in the dueling ring at the militia¡¯s camp hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed. Neither had her search for books on battle tactics, it would seem. Neyra gave a small huff from behind the circular bar as she wiped a tankard with annoyance.


    ¡°Get out of danger just to jump right back into it, huh? I don¡¯t understand why any of you want to push yourselves back into this. Think of how bad it must be out there for another recruiting group to be sent out!¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to go! They need all they can get!¡±


    Elle glared back at her sister, more annoyance slipping into her voice than she intended. Shamil just grunted in agreement.


    Neyra threw her hands up in the air.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we done enough?¡± She asked, her shoulders slumping in defeat as her hands came back down to the bar. Silent tears dripped down her face. ¡°Haven¡¯t we done enough?¡±


    Greybeard slipped behind the bar and put a large hand on Neyra¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Little lass.¡± He leaned over to kiss her head, ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s alright.¡±


    Neyra shook with suppressed sobs as Greybeard held her. Elle had to look away. Her heart ached, but she knew that what she was doing was right. It was what Ma and Da would¡¯ve wanted them to do.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Neyra snapped, rubbing her eyes with her apron as Greybeard pulled away.


    ¡°You most certainly are not! Now you take the rest of the morning. Just be back by dinner rush. Now, now, now don¡¯t you go makin¡¯ that face at me, lass! It¡¯s Greybeard¡¯s orders.¡± He stood with chest puffed out as he glared down at Neyra. She narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she spat, and with that, she stomped out the doors.


    ***


    Neyra let her feet lead her without even thinking about it, blinking back the remains of her tears. She felt so stupid for reacting like that. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to help. But what good was she? Being the bossy, know-it-all who reads books and cries? She shook her head, clutching the strap of her bag closer to her chest. It swayed with the weight of several books and notepads as she made her way through the city streets.


    In the short time since they had arrived in Ashikaia, things had changed substantially. Streets were more crowded, vendors more stingy. The energy in the air was tense, and everywhere she looked it seemed she saw either soldiers or posters for the Army, the damned force that wanted to put her family in danger again. She furrowed her eyebrows and hurried on her way, trying to put herself together.


    Soon, the familiar sounds of chimes met her ears. It always let her know she had arrived before she ever had to look up. Plants grew up the walls and nearly covered the windows of the humble building, a small stone dwelling crammed between two larger ones. It had an air of mystery. And perhaps that¡¯s why she liked it so much.


    Her shoulders lost some of their tension as she crossed the threshold into the little shop. The scent of leather and parchment and fresh ink wafted around her as she took a breath and sighed. This was her sanctuary. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Hello, dear,¡± said mistress Irene, her voice warm. Neyra nodded politely at the woman and smiled.


    ¡°Just bringing these back,¡± she said, carefully placing three massive books on the counter. Mistress Irene raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°Finished already? Child, I gave these to you yesterday!¡±


    Neyra just shrugged and grinned as Irene took the tomes back for re-shelving.


    ¡°Do let me know if you need help to find anything?¡±


    Irene gave her a knowing grin. Neyra never needed that help. And today, especially, she knew the exact book she was looking for.


    As quickly as was polite, Neyra scurried away towards the back of the building. Her brown eyes scanned the shelves, her mind calculating the exact location of the text she required. With a satisfied grin, she found it, a black bound book worn with age. Its leather was so dingy and worn, she could just barely make out the symbols on the spine. Some of that wear had come from her, surely. There wasn¡¯t a time she visited this shop where she didn¡¯t read this book. But she didn¡¯t dare borrow it.


    She opened the book with careful fingers, its binding creaking and crackling with her touch. Symbols, diagrams, and ancient words that once seemed so foreign to her now beckoned her with gentle familiarity. Fear bubbled up in her chest as she flipped to the page she needed. Was she really going to try this? She scanned the page, putting the words to memory.


    This spell seemed simple enough, and Neyra was confident she could perform it outside in the alleyway. She took a breath and held up her hand to make sure she was performing the somatic component properly. Once that was practiced to her satisfaction, she glanced again at the words. She mouthed them carefully, enunciating each syllable with exactness. It was only when the book burst into massive flames that Neyra realized that she must have said the words aloud.


    With a shrill scream, she dropped the book. The flames died out quickly as the ancient tome fell to the ground, amazingly unharmed. Shitshitshitshit, Neyra thought. Her ears rang, her heart pounded, and she was too scared to move.


    ¡°Child.¡±


    Neyra froze even more in panic as she recognized the voice behind her. Mistress Irene stepped into view from behind the adjacent shelves. Gingerly, she bent down to collect the book. She looked up into Neyra¡¯s eyes and smiled.


    She reached her hand out to Neyra, extending her palm upward. A tiny but beautiful plume of green flame bloomed in her hand. It hovered effortlessly above her palm, creating no heat, only soft light.


    ¡°It looks like you need a teacher.¡±


    ***


    Arv looked down at the familiar little person next to him. Shamil was busy securing her hair into the signature buns she wore atop her head.


    ¡°What do you mean, you¡¯re not nervous?¡± He asked. A bead of sweat trickled down his neck. The line was moving.


    ¡°I mean, that I¡¯m not nervous. I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time,¡±


    She narrowed her gray eyes, looking ahead of them to the recruitment tent. The two of them had been old enough to enlist for some time now, but they didn¡¯t want to join until Elle could, too. Arv gulped. He knew Shamil was out for blood, but the way she had been lately was frankly scaring him a bit. And ever since Elivera left for officers¡¯ training and Neyra moved in with that strange soothsayer lady to study magic, it had been nothing but him and Shamil¡¯s weirdness to fill the days. Perhaps she was right. There was nothing to be nervous about. Besides, this was where he needed to be. Da told him to protect his sisters and protect them he would. But could he protect them from basic training?


    ***


    From the desk of Quartermaster Varion, head Quartermaster of Unit Four of the Recruitment Forces of the Light


    Recruit Arv,


    It gives me no pleasure to be writing again on the behalf of your ration requisition. For the last time, boy! Eel pies are not a part of the standard rations package, nor will they ever be. I understand your unique palette and as the bleeding saint that I am, I will let you off with this, my last warning. EAT THE BEEF LIKE THE REST OF US OR I WILL BE REPORTING THIS TO MY SUPERIOR.


    Signed,


    Quartermaster Varion


    P.S.


    Learn to darn your own socks!


    ***


    From the Desk of Lieutenant Valdora of the Army of the Light


    General Roth,


    I am writing this memo to inform you of a development. Recruit Elivera Tallfellow of officer¡¯s class fourteen is performing at a pace exceeding my initial expectations.


    It is my humble opinion that, despite her age, she be promoted to Ensign immediately upon graduation. I have attached her most recent exam scores and hope to impress this upon you further at the next council meeting.


    Best regards,


    Valdora


    ***


    Public Notice


    To whoever is using my shoes for target practice, know this: When I catch you, I¡¯m gonna rearrange every single bone in your body. How did you even shoot my shoe up into a tree that high, anyway??


    Sincerely,


    Frustrated


    ***


    From the journal of Neyra Tallfellow


    Volume 3, Chapter 4, Subsection 10


    A.V. 345, 7th Day of Dal


    My training seems to progress at the expected rate, that rate being exceedingly fast. I¡¯m a fast reader, after all. Master Irene seems quite impressed with my technique and will show me the advanced cantrips later this week. She told me to consider it a late birthday present. I still can¡¯t believe that I¡¯m seventeen years old now. All these months with my master have flown by so fast.


    In other news, Arv keeps sending me his socks via courier boy so that I can fix the holes. Although my first instinct was to be annoyed, I can¡¯t help but feel a certain fondness every time I take the package from the (extremely relieved) courier. I miss him so terribly. And I miss Elivera and Shamil just as much. I see them on the training grounds sometimes, as Master Irene and I often go there for evocation practice. They graduate basic training at the end of the year, and although I had my reservations at first, I find myself nothing but proud of them. They will make fine soldiers indeed.


    Now if you will excuse me, Arv¡¯s socks need mending. And I have transmutation magic to practice.


    Yours in sincerity,


    Neyra Tallfellow


    ***


    Dew sparkled on the grass the morning of graduation, wet blades tickling the boots of the recruits who stood at attention in their ranks on the open field. Clouds covered the sky, dimming and transfusing the soft glow of morning. Thunder rumbled gently in the distance as General Roth took the stage.


    ¡°Soldiers, this threat is unlike anything we have ever faced in the history of our civilization.¡± His voice boomed with an otherworldly authority, amplified by magical means.


    ¡°We cannot stand idly by as this blight covers our lands. We cannot, no, we WILL NOT let our people fall into darkness!¡±


    Neyra stood in the distance, watching the ceremony with great interest. She tried to keep her demure posture as they waited, but her resolve wavered as the General droned on. Neyra bounced on her toes and swayed side to side. She craned her neck, trying to find her family in the crowd. Master Irene chuckled.


    ¡°Patience, little one. You will see them soon.¡±


    ¡°How is he speaking so loudly, anyway? Your work, I take it?¡± Neyra asked, raising her eyebrow at Master Irene, who was leafing through Neyra¡¯s spell book. She shook her head.


    ¡°I could fill a book with things I¡¯ve enchanted for General Roth, but that is neither here nor there.¡±


    Her eyes never left the pages of the book as she spoke, but Neyra had become used to that. The last twelve months had been some of the hardest yet most rewarding of her life. For the first time in forever, Neyra felt capable against the threats of the invading army, or at least much more capable than she was before.


    The booming voice of General Roth continued to echo through the field as his speech came to an end. He was now calling up the officers to be promoted, pinning each one with their knots of rank. Neyra beamed as she recognized the tiny figure of Elle on the stage. Had her little sister really grown that much? Neyra could have sworn she heard a small, familiar holler from the crowd. It was Shamil, no doubt about it.


    At that moment, Master Irene closed the book with a sudden snap. She bent down on one knee next to Neyra, handing over the book with tender grace.


    ¡°It is perfection, child. You have done well. I could have asked no better from my ward.¡±


    She gazed into Neyra¡¯s eyes, an expression of firm determination on her face.


    ¡°But it is time for you to move on. If my divinations are correct, you will have little need of me in the months to come.¡±


    Neyra¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she spoke.


    ¡°What do you mean, Master?¡±


    ¡°I mean, that there is nothing else I can teach you that you cannot teach yourself.¡± She smiled, gesturing to the crowd of newly graduated soldiers. ¡°Your family needs you, Neyra. Do not be afraid to follow where fate takes them.¡±


    Neyra clutched the book to her chest with reverence, and she bowed her head.


    ¡°I¡­thank you, master,¡±


    ¡°Just promise that you will visit me from time to time?¡± She smiled. ¡°I have other books that could use a good burning,¡±


    Neyra¡¯s cheeks reddened as she laughed, rushing forward to embrace her master.


    ***


    Elivera stood on the stage, her chest puffed, head held high. The knots of Ensign rested proudly on her uniform and she felt her heart swell with pride as the General proclaimed them as soldiers for the Light. Through the cheers and shouts, and even in the dim light of morning, she found them. Arv stood tall, Shamil at his side. They looked so regal in their military uniforms. Further in the distance, she picked out the tiny forms of Neyra and her master. Elle was certain that Greybeard was in the civilian crowd somewhere, too. She smiled as the sun¡¯s rays finally peeked through the cloud cover. She glanced to her right side at the newly promoted Captain Valdora. He nodded at her and she nodded back. She had work to do.


    ***


    Neyra wasn¡¯t entirely sure how she ended up in the tent of General Roth. But here she was, her sister beside her. She was at a loss for words.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t really know what to say.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re needed, sister.¡± Elvira urged from beside her, ¡°General Roth has been in communication with Master Irene and we know what you¡¯re capable of. Don¡¯t you dare deny it. Say you¡¯ll join us...please.¡±


    Neyra looked at her sister and decided. The look in Elle¡¯s eyes was all the convincing she needed. She nodded weakly, and General Roth kneeled down and placed the knots of an army specialist on her shoulder.


    A short time later, they walked side by side out of the command tent.


    ¡°You had this already made. I KNOW you did!¡±


    Neyra tugged at the collar of her uniform and glanced at Elle. They looked nearly identical in their military regalia. Elle just smiled and gave Neyra a playful punch on the arm.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d come around,¡± she said with a smile as they approached Arv and Shamil, who wore similar uniforms.


    ¡°You¡¯re in the army for ten whole minutes and already you outrank me.¡±


    Shamil shook her head in faux outrage, striding forward to wrap Neyra in a hug. Neyra just laughed and looked around Shamil¡¯s shoulder to find Arv. Her eyes widened as she looked up,


    ¡°Did¡­did he really get that much taller during boot camp?¡±


    Without hesitation, Arv bent down and squeezed them all into a crushing hug, lifting them effortlessly off the ground. They stayed there for a moment, just blissfully happy to all be together again.


    Finally, Arv gently lowered them back down, a wide grin splitting his face.


    ¡°So, ¡®ensign little sis¡¯. What is this special assignment you have for us?¡±


    ¡°Just follow me,¡± Elle said, setting off down the path at a brisk walk.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°To meet the rest of the team.¡±

 New Faces

    Chapter Two


    New Faces


    The army tavern was much dingier than what they were accustomed to at Greybeards, and it obviously served a much rougher clientele. A haze of acrid, earthy pipe smoke filled the air and the sounds of dice clattering against tables rang out just as often as the clinks of mugs. Elivera wove through the post-graduation crowd, leading her siblings to the very back corner of the establishment. Neyra and Shamil were nimble enough to keep up, and of course Arv just split the crowd with his mere presence.


    At a large booth in the corner sat the group she was looking for, and at their arrival, a tall figure rose from his seat and bowed to Elivera.


    ¡°Ah! Ensign Tallfellow. We¡¯ve been expecting you.¡±


    He extended his hand and Elivera grasped it, trying to fight down the blush that crept up her cheeks. Not only was she still unaccustomed to her new title; but this man, the newly promoted Captain Valdora, was possibly the most beautiful person she had ever laid her eyes on. He was her instructor for officers'' training, and as such, she had spent quite some time in his presence already. But he still made her feel a little weak in the knees. And she wasn¡¯t the only one. She lost count of how many people threw themselves at him during training. And she cringed at the memory of how many polite, yet firm dismissals he handed back in return.


    He had a head of pale, silvery blue hair which cascaded in perfect waves around his well chiseled features. His skin was a cool shade of tan, only slightly lighter than her own. Sharp, chiseled cheekbones and a strong nose framed his icy silver eyes.


    But most impressive was the way he held himself. Valdora had an aura of calm authority about him that made him easy to listen to. He was competent, respectful, and a natural born leader. He was almost a little too perfect, actually. It made her feel a bit unsettled if she thought about it too hard.


    He smiled warmly down at her. Elle shook her head and quickly gestured to her family, trying to get his attention anywhere but on her burning face.


    ¡°Captain, these are the recruits I was telling you about.¡± She ushered Shamil forward to face Valdora, speaking as she did so, ¡°This is Shamil Quilltone. Top of her marksman class, and an expert sho¨C¡±


    ¡°Ohhh yes. I¡¯ve heard of Recruit Quiltone. You were the talk of the shooting range these last few months. I heard you even broke General Roth¡¯s record. Your skill will be put to good use on our team,¡±


    Shamil stepped up to him with all the confidence of a giant dragon, extending her hand gracefully and never breaking her smoldering gaze as she looked up at him. His shapely, pale brows raised in slight surprise as he shook her hand. Back home, the Quiltones were known for their firm (borderline painful) handshakes. Shamil was absolutely no exception.


    ¡°Oh, it will. I assure you.¡± She said as she backed away and into her seat at the booth. Did she seriously just wink at him?! Gods above!


    Still flustered, Elle waved Neyra forward next.


    ¡°And of course I¡¯ve told you of my sister, Neyra Tallfellow. She is one of only a few arcane specialists in the forces, and the only one trained by master Irene herself.¡±


    Valdora bowed solemnly as he took Neyra¡¯s hand small hand in his large one.


    ¡°Ah yes. Ensign Tallfellow has told me a great deal about you. Our team needs your capabilities, Specialist Neyra, and we are most grateful to have you.¡±


    Neyra mumbled something unintelligible in response. She glanced off to the side; her freckled cheeks turning pink. Elle couldn¡¯t help but smile. Even all the years away from home hadn¡¯t helped cure her sister''s awkwardness with men.


    ¡°And last, my brother, Arv Tallfellow. You¡¯ll find that his sparring record speaks for itself.¡±


    Captain Valdora¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly at the mention of the word ¡®brother¡¯, but ?he turned to face Arv, looking him up and down.


    ¡°The Army of the Light has many soldiers, but only a select few could have earned marks like yours. Your services would have been requested for this squad regardless of your connection with the Ensign, I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Arv just grunted in an affirmative tone as he crushed Valdora¡¯s hand in his. He was giving the man the full protective brother treatment, it would seem. Elle rolled her eyes and left Arv with Valdora, making her way to sit down with her sisters. They were engaged in polite conversation with the others at the ¡®small folk¡¯ end of the table.


    A large, dwarven woman named Hilda Steelforge waved a calloused hand at the serving maids. Then, her rich voice bellowed out over the ambient noise of the tavern.


    ¡°Some drink for my little friends here, if you would!¡±


    She clapped Shamil on the back and leaned in, her broad features crinkling into a friendly smile. Shamil became lost in the mess of light ginger curls that engulfed her.


    Elivera had gotten to know Hilda a bit during officers¡¯ training. They brought her in for the week they studied subterranean tactics. She was hard to forget with that bright head of hair. She knew Hilda kept all that hair tightly braided during combat, but when off duty, it flowed freely. Like many dwarves, Hilda took great pride in her hair, which included long sideburns that twisted into small braids down the sides of her face. Her large, round ears were home to dozens of rings and studs of various sizes, and they clinked softly as she talked to Shamil. Hilda was boisterous, headstrong, and downright stubborn. But she was also incredibly loyal and fiercely protective of those who needed her. Elle remembered fondly how she stepped up to show her the ropes her first couple of weeks in the army. She tolerated no nonsense, but if she saw you were willing to listen and learn from her, then by the hells she¡¯d teach you until you got it right. Elivera was honestly a bit surprised Hilda hadn¡¯t received a squad of her own to command.


    ¡°But don¡¯t let ol¡¯ Zarl over there have any of yours, okay? Poor lads had enough. Ya hear that, Zarl?! Yer a lightweight!¡±


    Hilda bellowed a laugh, gesturing to a small fellow in army garb who was sitting (a bit unsteadily) on her other side. He stuck a pointed tongue out at Hilda and flashed a sharp, toothy grin. His warm green skin flushed with pink at the tips of his long pointed ears and the apples of his cheeks as he leaned past Hilda to get a look at the newcomers.


    Zarl Tik¡¯tik was a goblin, but it was hard to tell from first glance. He was probably the only goblin that Elle ever heard of who took such great pride in his appearance. His thick black hair was styled and swept to perfection, framing a face with sharp, handsome features. Elle knew him from her first few weeks at camp, before she had split off for her officers¡¯ training. He was the same age as her, and he had enlisted around the same time she did. Zarl had a bit of a reputation for his eccentric personality, and she could remember how he put everyone in their training group at ease with his jokes and friendly manner. He had a talent for making even the most miserable of soldiers break into laughter around a good campfire. He was also damn good at what he did. There wasn¡¯t a scout in the entire army who could disappear like him. He specialized in reconnaissance, and he was almost as good a shot as Shamil with his bow. She wasn¡¯t at all surprised that Valdora had chosen him for this squadron.


    He looked at them through lidded eyes and nodded his head a bit unsteadily. His ears twitched as he leaned forward a bit more. Elle still found him so odd compared to the other civilized goblins she had met in her life. Which, to be fair, was not a lot of goblins. But Zarl still stood out. His way of speaking and his refined appearance were just so distinctly¡­un-goblin like to her. He strangely reminded her of home, and she wondered if he had halfling blood in his family line somewhere. It would probably be rude to ask. The green of his skin, the sharp claws and teeth, and his comically large ears marked him as an obvious goblin, just a strangely good-looking one. He spoke with an accented and slightly slurred voice, interrupted with brief hiccups here and there.


    ¡°And whomight these be, Elle??¡± He leaned his face on his hand as he studied Shamil and Neyra. ¡°Friends o¡¯ yours?¡±


    Elivera noticed his eyes widen as he finally saw Neyra, and his face melted into a dopey, drunken grin. Elle cleared her throat and gave him a sharp look.


    ¡°Best watch yourself, Zarl. This is Shamil, our ranged weapons expert. And this,¡± she put a protective arm around Neyra as she sat down, ¡°is my sister, Neyra.¡±


    ***


    On the other side of the table, Arv was making acquaintance with the most interesting group of individuals he had ever laid his beady, yellow eyes on.


    Arv knew there were a handful of beasts like this one in the army. Hells, he¡¯d even been on the sparring grounds with a couple of them, but this was the first one he had ever heard speak. His name was Cretin Nu¡¯ul, and he was even bigger than Arv. Dark brown fur covered his whole body and most of his face, even down his broad, flat nose. His ears were pink and pointed, and they twitched and swiveled as he spoke to Arv. He had piercing orange eyes that oddly reminded Arv of the old tomcat that lived in the alley behind Greybeard¡¯s. He flashed sharp canine fangs when he spoke and he had bottom tusks similar to Arv¡¯s, though not as pronounced. He was a friendly fellow, and he set a mug of ale down in front of Arv the moment he took his seat.


    As odd a fellow as Cretin was, the person beside him was even stranger. Arv was sure Neyra had babbled on and on about lizardfolk at some point in their lives. Explaining at length about the properties of cold blood and the mechanics of tails for water propulsion. All of her research couldn¡¯t have prepared him to actually meet one, and that¡¯s even if he had been paying attention.


    ¡°Riza Hess,¡± she said, adding extra hissing emphasis on her surname, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure.¡± Her rough, scaly hand was cold in his, and Arv gave an awkward smile as he watched her forked tongue flick in and out her drink. Large scales glimmered in shades of bright green and blue, and her face was framed with exotic frills and spikes. Her tail swished gently under the table, thumping his foot every now and again. Riza was surprisingly talkative and full of questions. She was especially curious about his hometown and halfling culture. Arv answered in earnest, all the while thinking to himself that Neyra would get along wonderfully with her.


    Captain pretty boy sat beside Riza, talking quietly to a beautiful woman with curly bronze hair and dark, coppery skin. Her expression was serious, and she did little but nod as Arv met her gaze. Valdora turned and looked up at Arv with his stupid, handsome face.


    ¡°Arv, this is my lieutenant, Kaida. And I see you¡¯ve already met our friends Riza and Cretin.¡±


    He turned again and jerked his head to the end of the table, where one more person sat primly. Her features were elven, but not enough to mark her as a full elf. She was half at most, in Arv¡¯s humble estimation. Her straw blonde hair was cut short at the chin, and her almond-shaped eyes shone a bright shade of hazel in the dim light of the tavern booth. She gave him a curt nod as she sipped her wine. Her olive skin was free of blemish and her fingers were long and delicate. She didn¡¯t seem like much of a soldier at first glance, but Arv knew her from the sparring grounds. Her skill with a blade was nothing short of magnificent.


    ¡°Elwin Nero,¡±


    She spoke with a small smile. And she refused to elaborate further. Arv nodded, turning to look at what his sisters were up to at the other end of the booth, and to get a read on the last two people who sat there. The dwarf woman he liked, he decided as much when she pushed another drink at him from across the table. But the little green fellow made him feel uneasy.


    He glared over the rim of his mug at the oblivious goblin. He was talking animatedly to Neyra, and she responded with a loud burst of that sing songy laughter of hers. Arv¡¯s expression darkened as he watched the fella stare at her while she giggled. He didn¡¯t like that look in his eye. He couldn''t be certain from his spot at the booth, but it almost seemed like the guy was trying very hard to make her laugh on purpose.


    ***


    Neyra felt funny. Her only encounter with alcohol before this night was sneaking a bottle from her parents¡¯ pantry the night she turned thirteen, and the resulting hangover was enough to make her swear it off for the rest of her life. But that was before she became part of the army, before she was recruited into a specialist force! These people were trained experts! They were the military elite, and she didn¡¯t want them to think she was just some snobby bookworm killjoy. So she drank a mug, and then another, and then another. Now her cheeks were warm, and she felt like hugging everyone at the table. And she did, or at least she was pretty sure that she did? Did it even matter? She loved everyone here, and she wanted them to know it. She and Elivera (who was also several mugs deep) giggled as they leaned into each other.


    ¡°Sis, yourethe best, yaknow that?¡± Elle slurred as she hung onto her sister.


    ¡°Hilda? Zarl? Didn¡¯t I tell ya she¡¯s the best?¡± She stood on her seat, leaning over the table to take Hilda¡¯s face in her hands. ¡°She¡¯s magic too! Does all sortsa magic stuff. Right, Neyra?¡±


    Shamil laughed at Neyra as she stood up on top of her seat and pulled her sleeves up with a flourish. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Yessiree! Magic!¡± and with a considerably greater amount of effort than was normal, Neyra cast a fountain of sparkling lights over their booth. The twinkling orbs cascaded down around their heads, casting rainbow colors on the faces of her new best friends. She began to twirl and dance as the lights fell around her. An all new fit of giggles struck Neyra, which sent her tumbling down from her perch and straight into the lap of an equally inebriated Zarl.


    His cute laugh stopped abruptly, and he froze as he looked down at her. He had such a silly face. Why was it so pink? And such a long, pointy nose! She reached out her hand and gave it a soft boop before breaking into a fit of giggles once more. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, curling her legs up into his lap and burying her face in his neck. He was warm, and he smelled so nice. It would be so lovely to just fall asleep here. Surely he wouldn¡¯t mind.


    Suddenly, large green hands grabbed her from behind and hoisted her up like a sack of potatoes.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve had enough tonight, sis,¡± came that familiar, deep voice. Neyra turned to smile at her little brother.


    ¡°But Arvvvvvv, can¡¯t we stay with our new friends?! I just love them so much.¡± She cried as Arv reached down to grab Elle with his other hand. Her sister was snoring gently, interrupted occasionally by a drunken giggle as she held onto Arv¡¯s back.


    ¡°NO.¡± was all he said. Why was his face so grumpy and scrunchy? And why was he smiling so hard at Zarl? Wait! Were they best friends now too?! Hold on, was he growling? That wasn¡¯t very nice! Neyra giggled some more as tears streamed down her face. She couldn¡¯t make out what Arv said to the pretty captain man, but soon Arv walked them out of the fun place. She raised her spinning head to look at their new friends. The nice dwarf lady was laughing super loud and saying something to Zarl that she couldn¡¯t quite make out. His face turned more red than green, and he remained frozen in place, blinking his pretty yellow eyes at her in shock as Arv carried her away. Neyra waved and blew him a kiss. Maybe that would make him feel better.


    ***


    Arv was fully prepared to use every ounce of his dexterity to carry his sisters through the evening crowds. However, he found that the milling people parted like waves in his wake. He didn¡¯t think he was scowling that hard. Was he? He turned to catch his reflection in a shop window. Damn. He did look angry. Maybe he was overreacting. Or was he?!


    As if on cue, Neyra stirred on his shoulder, hiccuping and snorting ever so slightly in her sleep. Arv smiled softly, despite himself. It wasn¡¯t her fault, quite the opposite, actually. Arv was no idiot, thank you very much. He knew full well the effect that his sisters had on people, and this wasn¡¯t the first time he had to go brother mode on someone. But it had been getting so much worse now that they were nearly fully grown halfling women. Elivera concerned him less, even though she was ?considered the prettier of the sisters (he¡¯d had to clap two soldiers'' heads together at that comment a few weeks back). She had her fiery spirit along with her sword to keep her outta trouble. Elivera also knew how pretty she was. She could take care of herself. But Neyra, Neyra was just¡­Neyra. And for how smart she was, she could be quite oblivious?. Even though she was his elder in every sense of the word, he felt an intense need to keep her safe from harm. Especially if that harm came from some smarmy goblin guy named Zarl Tik¡¯tik.


    Even with all the commotion inside his brain, and the frequent stops to readjust the girls on his back, they were back home in fair time. He knew the way by heart, nearly subconsciously, even though it had been some time since visiting Greybeard¡¯s. Arv smiled as he ducked into the doors, careful to not bump his precious cargo. It was well past last call, and Greybeard and the barmaids were nearly done with the evening cleanup. It still smelled of spiced ale and beer in the warm common room.


    ¡°Arv, my lad!¡± Greybeard called from behind the bar, quickly dropping his task and hustling out to greet them, ¡°Are they okay, boy?¡± He asked with fatherly concern as he noted the (still very drunk) girls on Arv¡¯s back.


    ¡°Shamil was fine until the end there,¡± Arv chuckled, setting her down unceremoniously in an empty booth, ¡°but these two¡­¡± he held his sisters up by the backs of their shirts, much like one might hold the scruff of a kitten, ¡°these two are in a state.¡±


    ¡°Well, ya did good bringing them back ¡®ere to me, lad,¡± Greybeard said, reaching up to take Elle in his thick arms. She groaned slightly as she stirred, nuzzling her face into his beard with a giggle.


    ¡°You halflings and your liquor¡­¡± he muttered, ¡°Let¡¯s get them upstairs. Shamil will be fine til we¡¯ve finished with these two.¡±


    Arv spared a glance for the slumbering gnome, and he quickly used his free hand to toss a tablecloth over her before following Greybeard up the stairs.


    After a short trek, and a few bumped elbows, they had the little ones tucked in for the night.


    ¡°So you reckon they¡¯ll be okay by morning? This new Cap''n fellow says we leave at first light.¡± Arv asked.


    He sat hunched over on a sturdy stool, pulled close to the bed where his sisters and Shamil now slept in a tangle of limbs and messy hair.


    ¡°Aye. I¡¯ve used that tonic for many a lightweight halfling in my time.¡± Greybeard said with a soft smile, taking a long draw from his pipe, ¡°Suppose they¡¯ll have a bit of a headache, but maybe that¡¯ll teach ¡®em to pace themselves next time.¡± He shook his head and snorted. ¡°So tell me again about this Zarl fella? Was he really bein¡¯ that forward?¡±


    ¡°I¡ªwell. I mean¡­I¡ªI could tell that he wanted to be, that¡¯s for damn sure!¡± Arv was careful not to raise his voice lest he wake his sisters and Shamil.


    ¡°Lad, it¡¯s a good thing you never waited tables here with them. Why, if I had a silver for every time someone got flirty with those two, well¡­¡± he trailed off, noting Arv¡¯s dark expression with a grin, ¡°Actually I suppose they got a silver each time, eh? Good thing too, I was ¡®bout to go bankrupt buyin¡¯ all those books and quills for li¡¯l Lass there.¡±


    He nodded to Neyra, who was drooling all over Elle¡¯s arm.


    ¡°But that¡¯s beside the point. Lad¡­¡±


    Greybeard turned to place a hand on Arv¡¯s shoulder, looking him in the eyes, ¡°When ye enlisted I was scared, but now that you¡¯ve told me about this special squadron you¡¯ve been assigned to, well¡­I¡¯m downright terrified.¡±


    Arv¡¯s brows furrowed in concern as he looked down at the man that he loved like a father. Not once in the years they had been under his care had he seen Greybeard like this. He continued,


    ¡°I know the general forces are dangerous enough, but at least the public has an idea both where they are and what they¡¯re doin! I¡¯d be able to keep in touch, send messages, but this?¡± He shook his head in exasperation, ¡°Lad, I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re going to have you do, where you¡¯re going to go. Do you?¡±


    Arv frowned and bowed his head.


    ¡°They said it¡¯s classified,¡±


    He looked back up at Greybeard, who nodded with a knowing grimace. Greybeard stood then, putting down his pipe and moving closer to Arv, holding his shoulders with both hands and pressing his wrinkled forehead to his broad chest.


    ¡°Lad¡­you don''t know how much you and the girls mean to me.¡±


    He took a shaky breath and Arv could swear that his gnarled old voice was breaking. ¡°I¡¯ve been alone all these years, no family left. No one¡­until you four came stumbling into my tavern.¡± He raised his head, looking up at Arv with glistening brown eyes, ¡°I need ye to tell me, lad. I need ye to swear to me.¡± Tears welled up in Arv¡¯s own eyes as he looked down at his Pa, and saw for the first time that he was just as hurt and vulnerable as the rest of them.


    ¡°Swear that you¡¯ll all come back home.¡±


    In one swift move, Arv flung his arms around Greybeard, crushing him with gentle force. It took everything he had to keep those tears from leaving his eyes as the two embraced. With a surge of strength, he managed the words.


    ¡°I swear.¡±


    ***


    It was still dark outside when Elle awoke. With bleary eyes, she looked up at the figure crouched beside her. Shamil had already changed from her formal colors to her basic armor and uniform. Her beloved crossbow was secured tightly to her back, and she had bundles slung over each arm.


    ¡°Rise and shine, little lass. Did you have fun last night?¡±


    Elle groaned, trying to bury herself back in the blankets. The memories were hazy, and with a start she remembered Neyra had broken her renunciation of liquor last night. She sat bolt upright and began searching around the bed for her sister.


    ¡°She¡¯s already downstairs. I think Greybeard¡¯s tryin¡¯ to force feed her some eggs. Not to mention that gods awful tonic of his.¡± Shamil pulled a flask from her cloak and took a long swig with a grimace, then offered it to Elle. Elivera wrinkled her nose as she took the flask, preparing herself for that wretched concoction to hit her lips. She guzzled as much as she could. As terrible as it tasted, it did help considerably.


    ¡°Now,¡± Shamil continued, ¡°I believe you¡¯re supposed to order us to meet at the rendezvous point? Something about a classified assignment of utmost importance?¡±


    Elle took one last gulp and nodded, leaping out of the bed to get changed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it. Me ¡®n Neyra have to go make some final adjustments for Arv. We¡¯ll meet you in the shop.¡± Shamil grinned wickedly as she leapt out the door, leaving Elivera to wonder what Shamil and her sister had created this time.


    ***


    ¡°I proudly present to you¨C¡± Neyra paused for dramatic effect, her gloved hands gripping the tarp that covered her latest marvel in engineering. With a sudden flourish, she ripped the cloth off, letting it fall to the ground as she said, ¡°¨CThe Howdah! Version two.¡±


    She bounced on her heels and beamed in delight as she saw Arv and Elivera¡¯s jaws drop, their mouths agape in surprise. Shamil just smiled. She had done a lot of the work with her, after all.


    ¡°Neyra, this is incredible¡­¡± Arv whispered as he walked up to touch the straps of the contraption, ¡°I know you¡¯ve had the idea and drawings for a proper halfling backpack for a long time, but I never thought you¡¯d be able to make the thing!¡± He turned to look at her. ¡°How much did this cost?!¡±


    ¡°Less than you¡¯d think,¡± Shamil said, ¡°I had a few debts to call in. You know how bad those forge gnomes are at cards.¡± She patted the Howdah with a glint of mischief in her eye.


    From a distance, it would have looked like only a large wooden crate. But this was no mere crate. The Howdah consisted of the primary chassis, a box made of a strong but lightweight wood, which was secured tightly with bands of metal that connected it to a massive leather harness. The inside had a small bench that could be used to stand or sit on, not to mention dozens of storage compartments and drawers. At approximately 4 feet tall, 4 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, it truly amounted to only a very large backpack for their ¡°little¡± brother. However, for them, it was the perfect mobile fortress. Arv was already hurrying to get the straps on properly.


    Neyra smiled as she watched him stand up with ease, adjusting his shoulders experimentally and doing a few practice thrusts with his harpoons.


    ¡°How¡¯d you make it so light?¡± He asked incredulously, doing a few jumping jacks.


    Neyra waved her hands dramatically and whispered,


    ¡°Math.¡±


    Arv chuckled and knelt down on one knee.


    ¡°Well, whatever you did, this is amazing. Now hurry and hop on board so we can really test this thing out!¡±


    Neyra grinned and scrambled up the side, using the hand and footholds that were carved into the exterior. She waved Shamil and Elle to join and soon they stood tall and proud as Arv paraded down the sleepy morning streets of Ashikaia, ready to face anything.


    ***


    It didn¡¯t take too long for them to reach their rendezvous. Arv had a wide stride and an extra bounce in his step that morning. Shamil could certainly feel that extra bounce as she struggled to keep her footing in the back of the Howdah.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a way to make this less bumpy?¡± She asked, pushing both hands out to hold herself steady.


    Neyra and Elivera simply looked at her with bemused looks, staying perfectly balanced in the back of the swaying compartment.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s just like a boat.¡± Elle said with a smile, her hips and legs continuously making tiny adjustments to keep her steady.


    ¡°Yes! Like a boat.¡± Neyra mused, ¡°And besides, it¡¯s a small price to pay for the protection and vantage point it offers,¡±


    Shamil groaned. She knew they were right, of course, but she didn¡¯t have to like it. She silently cursed herself for all the times she skipped out on fishing boat work while growing up.


    Her ears perked up as she caught a familiar voice in the air. It was that dreamy captain man from last night! She poked her head out over the edge of the Howdah, scanning around for a head of silver blue hair.


    ¡°Hail! Arv! Where are the rest of them?¡± Came Valdora¡¯s voice from a small way off. He sounded confused, and Shamil could see that he was shielding his eyes from the rising sun to see them better as they approached. Elivera took that opportunity to stand on the bench, which put her head just above Arv¡¯s.


    ¡°Ensign?¡± Valdora blinked in surprise as Arv came to a stop. Elle saluted crisply from her vantage point,


    ¡°Reporting for duty, sir!¡±


    ¡°I see, and are the other two in-ah yes, there you are. Specialist Neyra, Recruit Quilltone.¡± He saluted Neyra and Shamil, who hurried to salute back.


    At that moment, the other members of the squad approached. All with curious, bemused looks in their eyes.


    ¡°Marvelous,¡± Hilda said, giving the Howdah an experimental rap with her armored knuckles. ¡°This would¡¯ve saved me so much walking in my militia days.¡±


    Cretin and Riza nodded approvingly and whispered to Kaida and Elwin as they watched Hilda examine the device. They were heavily armed, some in plate, some in mail. Belts held giant swords in their protective scabbards, and hands gripped pole arms tightly. Pouches and bristling quivers swung from hips, clinking softly with their every move, held with countless belt buckles that glittered in the sun. This was a group that was ready to face any danger and face it well.


    Valdora walked away, motioning for them to follow as he spoke.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been assigned a vital task, one that requires the utmost haste.¡± He led them to a line of two wagons, which were being hitched to teams of restless mules. He gestured to the vehicles. ¡°General Roth¡¯s intelligence shows an encroachment of the shadow on our southwestern flank. Some miles outside the Western gate lies the settlement of (insert name). Our task is to oversee the immediate evacuation of that town back to the safety of the Western gate of our great walled city.¡± He turned to face them once more. ¡°Stealth is of critical importance. I¡¯m of the belief that enemy riders are already scouting ahead of the main force. It¡¯s likely that this town is already under their surveillance. We need to get in, get everyone, and get out. As you can see,¡± he said with a gesture to the wagons, ¡°this is as much transportation as we dare bring. I¡¯ve loaded with basic weapons and supplies, as we will need to arm the able-bodied folk and spare the wagons for the young and the infirm. We can let them take nothing else but the clothes from their backs.¡± He gripped his spear in determination. ¡°I mean to have every man, woman, and child safely out of that town, do you understand?¡± He was met by salutes and a small chorus of ¡°yes sir!¡±


    ¡°Then fall in. Scout Zarl! Are the wagons ready?¡±


    A small, green figure hopped out of the back of one wagon, landing with a graceful flourish. He adjusted his cloak and gave a quick salute.


    ¡°Yes Captain, we¡¯re ready.¡±


    Valdora nodded and walked away with Kaida to the front of the formation, giving quiet orders as he went. Zarl turned on his heel and froze when he locked eyes with Arv.


    Shamil grinned, remembering the delightful drama of the previous night. This was going to be fun to watch.


    She tapped Neyra on the shoulder and pointed down to Zarl,


    ¡°Look, Ney! It¡¯s your friend,¡±


    Neyra¡¯s face popped up over Arv¡¯s shoulder as she leaned out of the Howdah.


    ¡°Zarl! Are you feeling any better this morning?¡± She asked with a friendly wave.


    At the sight of Neyra, his face immediately went pink, and he gave a small wave in return. Shamil could feel the heat radiating off Arv¡¯s neck as Zarl took a deep breath and approached the Howdah. The goblin had some guts. She had to give him that. Few people could walk under a look like that from Arv. He stood underneath Neyra¡¯s perch and ran a clawed hand through his hair before looking up at her.


    ¡°So uhhh¡­what¡¯s a fella gotta do to get a ride in that?¡± He smiled and bit his lip as he gazed up at Neyra. Shamil stifled a giggle and elbowed Elivera so she wouldn¡¯t miss this beautiful disaster that was unfolding. Neyra didn¡¯t even have a chance to respond before Arv whipped the Howdah around in a rough spin. He turned to face the goblin, leaning down close enough for his nose to touch poor Zarl¡¯s.


    ¡°Family. ONLY.¡± He breathed, absolute venom dripping from his voice. And then he swiftly turned and carried them off to their place in the line.


    Shamil kept her eyes locked on Neyra, who seemed confused as she watched Zarl scramble away to his own place in the formation. This was going to be a glorious trip.

 First Mission

    Chapter Three


    First Mission


    ¡°We¡¯re close,¡± Valdora said as he walked toward the back of the line, pausing occasionally to confer with their other traveling companions. The sun was near the end of its trek in the sky, and its rays brushed the tips of the broadleaf trees with an eerie orange hue. Elivera took a moment to gather herself as he approached. Her stomach threatened to flip inside out with the nervous energy that coursed through her body. Get it together! It¡¯s a simple extraction. There¡¯s nothing to panic over, she thought to herself furiously. Elle¡¯s hands clenched, her leather gloves crackling under the strain.


    ¡°Sub commander,¡± Valdora said in a controlled tone. Elivera nearly hit herself in the head with the force of her salute.


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    ¡°Ahead, with me. The rest of you, await my command.¡±


    Elle nodded curtly and moved to leap down out of the Howdah. Valdora adjusted his stride only slightly as he led her down the road. Kaida fell in alongside them as he led them to the front of their small caravan.


    ¡°Zarl is just ahead on the ridge. I¡¯d like you along to hear his report.¡±


    He turned his head and gave her a reassuring nod. They continued to walk, moving in tense silence until the tree line broke. Soon Elivera found herself atop a large ridge, the road beneath them winding down multiple switchbacks to a sleepy village nestled in the trees.


    Elle blamed her nerves for how much she jumped when Zarl dropped from a tree and landed almost silently beside Valdora and Kaida. Valdora already had his looking glass in hand as Zarl gave his report.


    ¡°Whole area¡¯s ripe for ambush, Captain,¡± he said, ¡°I found tracks from their preliminary riders just south of town, not over two days old at most. It¡¯s just as ya feared. They¡¯ve found an easy target, ¡¯n sure as the hells they¡¯re on their way back with more help.¡±


    Valdora grunted as he lowered the glass again.


    ¡°It was too much to hope for otherwise.¡± he turned to Kaida. ¡°You and I will take the first wagon to the north half of town. Cretin, Zarl, and Elwin will form the rest of our squad. Ensign,¡± he turned to Elle, ¡°Hilda and Riza will join your family to make our second squad. You take the second wagon and evacuate the south.¡±


    Kaida approached Elivera and bent down on one knee, producing a small object from her belt. She placed it in her hands.


    ¡°This is the distress signal. When you run into trouble, you send up this flare. We¡¯ll have ours as well. But we won¡¯t be split for long, and let¡¯s hope we won''t have to use it.¡± Kaida finished with a wink.


    ¡°I want you to send those civilians up to the ridge as soon as possible. Arm those that you can, protect those you cannot. Gods send that they¡¯ve taken the warning messages seriously and they¡¯re ready to go.¡±


    Elle pocketed the flare as Valdora continued on.


    ¡°This is an evacuation, not a traveling circus. I don¡¯t want to see wagons with anything but bodies in them. Assure them that whatever possessions they lose can be regained in Ashikaia. Now move out! We¡¯ve no time to waste.¡±


    ***


    Arv took careful breaths as they hiked back under a canopy of trees. The moon was full, its beams poking through the leafy canopy like pale, ghostly fingers. He was trying his absolute hardest not to huff and puff under the exertion of the hike. Although he wasn¡¯t really sure why he was taking such measures for their stealth, it wasn¡¯t like the group of townsfolk were bein¡¯ quiet. He spared a glance for the poor folks behind him as they hiked the switchbacks back up to the rendezvous point. They looked completely terrified, and he couldn¡¯t blame ¡®em. He felt half terrified himself as his eyes continued to scan the tree line. His darkvision blessedly gave him a crisp, detailed view of what was around them. His poor sisters had to rely more on their ears instead of their eyes in this kinda lighting.


    His ear twitched as he heard Neyra speaking softly behind him. She was giving words of comfort to the panicked refugees, no doubt. Arv allowed himself a small grin. For as much as she complained about being ¡°parentified¡± in their youth, she had no trouble motherin¡¯ anyone she came across! He knew that if Elivera allowed it, Neyra would be right there in the back of their wagon with the little ones instead of strapped to his back.


    He felt the howdah shift slightly behind him as Elle leaned up closer to his face.


    ¡°See anythin?¡± She whispered.


    ¡°Nothin¡¯ but trees and birds.¡±


    ¡°Good. We¡¯ve kept our luck for now.¡±


    Then Elivera pursed her lips and whistled twice, perfectly mimicking a bird. However, the trained ear would recognize that this particular bird only lived by the ocean. It made the perfect signal for their unit¡­well, unless they happened to return to the ocean, Arv supposed. Fat lot of good it would do them then.


    Step by step, they made their way closer to the top of the ridge. As they neared the rendezvous, Arv fell back to the rear position, leaving Hilda and Riza to lead the wagon. Arv kept his face cool and collected as he looked across the small sea of townsfolk clambering up the path ahead of them. They held spears and shields in shaky hands. A young human boy turned around, his eyes wide as they met Arv¡¯s. And for a moment Arv swore he saw a young, scared orc reflected at him instead. He saw the fear, the desperation, and above all, he saw that same stubborn determination, the very determination that he felt while fleeing danger on that cursed night those years ago.


    And then, everything happened all at once.


    It started as a singular howl. A solitary, piercing tone that warbled through the night. Another joined, drifting into a horrifying harmony. Then another. Then another. And then, a massive shadowy form burst from the tree line.


    ¡°Defensive positions!¡± Elle roared from his back, ¡°Stay together!¡±


    Arv heard metallic scraping as she unsheathed her sword, and then a small pop followed by fizzing as she shot their distress flare into the sky. He turned on his feet, face whipping towards the riders. More howls echoed from the direction of the village, and the wind kicked up the leaves and fronds that lay strewn on the road. They carried the scent of death to his nostrils.


    ¡°Riza! Hilda! Protect the flanks!¡± Elle screamed and waved her sword in challenge, ¡°Keep these people moving! We¡¯ll hold them off!¡± Arv felt the weight of the Howdah shift as she hopped out and down to the ground.


    Perhaps it was the sight of his little sister leaving the safety of the Howdah, but his blood turned to ice as the reality finally set in. His hands trembled as he tightened his grip around his trident. His eyes narrowed, and he dug his feet firmly into the ground. To his right, he could hear Neyra muttering something in an unfamiliar language, and to his left came the telltale click of Shamil readying her crossbow.


    Time seemed to slow, and the details around him came at odd and seemingly random intervals. There was the cry of a child, the snapping of branches, the smells of smoke and blood, the weight of his shield pulling at the straps on his arm. Arv inhaled sharply as he met the gaze of the beast that rushed towards him.


    It was like two different parts of his brain were at war. He was terrified; he was enraged. His eyes held back tears of fear; they held back tears of anger and vengeance. He was exhausted; he was energized. He wanted to crouch down and hide; he wanted to rush forward and fight.


    Faces flashed before his eyes. His Da, his Ma, Elle, Neyra, Barcus, Shamil; they all left their mark on him. He remembered their fear, their pain. He could smell the salty sea air mixed with blood and soot. He watched the dark mists engulf Piria, never to let it out from its clutches again. Arv could hear Elivera¡¯s sniffles as their parents shut the lid of the crate on them. He could see the first haunted look in Neyra¡¯s once bright eyes. He could hear the screams and cries of the children slaughtered while he sat helplessly by.


    But he was helpless no more. Arv¡¯s jaw unclenched and he stretched his mouth wide, baring his tusks in a wicked, screaming roar. The wolf¡¯s eyes went wide and its guttural growls were replaced with a high-pitched yelp as it came sliding to a halt. The rider atop its back shouted something in a language he didn¡¯t understand. It seemed annoyed at the beast. The rider seemed even more annoyed as Arv¡¯s trident went straight into his guts.


    Already Elle made work of the dire wolf itself, her rapier striking rapidly into the beast¡¯s hide. He felt a small bloom of warmth from the side of his face as a streak of flame lanced from Neyra¡¯s hands. The fire just barely missed the head of the miserable beast, making a smoldering little crater in the trunk of a tree instead. Neyra cursed.


    ¡°Arv! To your right!¡±


    Arv saw movement from the corner of his eye and before he could react, a loud twang rang out near his ear and a bolt went flying straight into the eye of the second flanking beast. Elle was there a moment later, tackling its rider onto the ground.


    ¡°Nice shot, Shamil!¡±


    She yelled as she drove her blade into the dark rider¡¯s chest. Blood spurted up like a fountain, but the man merely roared and threw her off of him, slashing with his blade. The blow sent her flying into the trunk of a tree with a sickening thud. Arv snarled and charged toward the downed rider, who was quickly regaining his footing. He lunged his trident out in a crippling strike towards the knee. The prongs struck true, sinking into the gaps between the armor there.


    The black-clad figure howled out in pain, a frightening imitation of the beast it once rode. Arv swung his shield in a bashing strike at his head, attempting to finish him off while he was down. There was a crunch and Arv felt warm droplets hit his face as he followed through with the rest of the swing. He was still roaring as he spun around, missing the warning shout from Shamil.


    A blade swung across his field of vision, coming from yet another wolf and rider. It connected with the bracer of his trident arm, and the impact was nearly enough to send the weapon clattering from his hand. Neyra screamed and Shamil cried out in anger as Arv stepped back, taking a defensive stance.


    He could hear sounds of combat from seemingly all around him, but he wasn¡¯t about to take his eyes off the one in front of him to pinpoint them.


    It was as if Neyra read his mind,


    ¡°The civilians are gaining ground! Hilda and Riza just took another one down. It¡¯s up to us to hold things back here.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Arv smiled wickedly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got this,¡±


    And just then, three more riders came prowling forward out of the shadows. The beasts they rode were even larger and more intimidating than the last.


    ¡°Oh, shit.¡±


    Arv tightened his grip, and he was just about to charge when another figure came crashing through the underbrush.


    Valdora¡¯s hair streaked behind him, the silvery blue strands catching the moonlight and framing him in an otherworldly glow. The man looked like a beast of legend, his face contorted into a snarl as he charged forward. His greatspear glinted wickedly as he swung it around his head. The graceful arc of his weapon connected with the throat of the first rider, causing their blood to rain down to the ground in great ruby red droplets. Before the first drop even met the earth Valdora was moving again, dancing a dance of death as he engaged the second rider.


    It may have been his imagination, but he coulda sworn that Shamil was humming in appreciation behind him. Stupid, beautiful captain man. Arv shook his head and forced himself to snap out of it. There was still shadow army scum to deal with, and it was time to get to work.


    Elle had regained her footing, and she stumbled toward Arv. Shamil reached down and helped haul her back into the Howdah. She seemed a bit bloodied, but okay, thank the gods. She sheathed her sword at her hip and instead pulled out her bow, nocking an arrow and aiming straight ahead.


    Arv faintly heard the sounds of Neyra¡¯s weird incantations before a loud whistling shriek slammed against his sensitive eardrums. Fuscia colored light flashed from his right side in quick succession. He watched as three missiles of light lanced out and struck the third rider in the chest. With a snarl, he pulled his arm back and made ready his trident.


    This was for his home, Piria. This was for his family, both living and dead. And most of all, this was for that scared orc boy who, all those years ago, had to hide instead of fight back.


    Arv charged through the wolf¡¯s biting range and lunged up with everything he had left. His weapon sunk deep into the chest of that final rider, cutting through the armor that was weakened by Neyra¡¯s arcane blasts. Shamil bent over the left side of the Howdah, sending a bolt directly down into the brain of the dire wolf, then another, then another until the beast¡¯s legs gave out beneath it. The gurgling breaths and spasms of the still dying rider made his polearm shake, but he held firm, keeping the body aloft even as the wolf fell to the ground beneath it. He snarled as he raised the enemy high, gravity causing the body to sink deeper and deeper onto the trident''s gleaming prongs. With one last roar, he swung his weapon, sending the body sailing through the air and off of the main road. It landed with a wet thud.


    Arv¡¯s chest heaved as he panted. Each exhale sounded more like a snarl than a breath. Rage still boiled in his veins, and when Valdora put a hand on his shoulder, he snarled and nearly struck out at him on instinct.


    ¡°Woah! Easy, soldier.¡± He said as he took a step back, both palms up, ¡°It¡¯s over, lad. Kaida and Zarl are after the runners. We¡¯ve won.¡±


    Arv¡¯s eyes refused to blink as he slowly nodded to Valdora. His breath was finally slowing, and his legs wobbled. His ears rang. He knew Valdora was talking to him, but he couldn¡¯t for the life of him tell what the fella was sayin¡¯.


    Then, a tiny hand gently came to rest on his cheek. He took a shuddering breath as Neyra¡¯s fingers gently caressed his face. He felt her hair tickle his ear as she bent forward to cradle his head.


    ¡°Shhh, it-it¡¯s over. We did it, Arv. We did it,¡± her voice was shaking. Arv craned his neck to find Neyra¡¯s tear-filled eyes shining back at him. Her brown irises shone with a welcome warmth in the cool moonlight. Poor girl was barely holding it together, and yet here she was. She was still there for him, like always. He set his trident down and raised the now empty hand to touch his sister¡¯s, squeezing it softly.


    ¡°You¡¯re damn right we did it,¡± Shamil said.


    Arv felt her rough hand rest on his shoulder. Shamil gave him a quick, reassuring squeeze. That was about as sentimental as she got. With a start, Arv remembered Elle¡¯s wounds.


    ¡°Elle! Elle you okay?!¡± He strained his neck, attempting to turn and get a glimpse of her. Neyra patted his cheek and clambered back to her proper spot in the Howdah, speaking as she went.


    ¡°She¡¯s alright, Arv. She¡¯s alright. Just a little banged up. Eh, sis?¡±


    The strained tone of her voice betrayed Neyra. She was just as worried as he was.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah I¡¯m fine,¡± she groaned, ¡°It¡¯s nothin¡¯ a little field medicine can¡¯t fix.¡±


    At that remark, Arv finally shifted his focus to the road ahead of them. During the fight, the refugees had managed to rush the rest of the way up to the ridge, and he could see where two wagons now stood surrounded by the frightened villagers. He broke into a jog and made it there quickly, or at least as quickly as he could without jostling the Howdah too much.


    Riza was crouched by their wagon, the nearby villagers giving her a wide berth as she checked the wheels. Arv turned as he heard the sound of fabric ripping. Hilda was sitting on a fallen tree near the side of the road. She had a bandage gripped tight in her teeth and with a final jerk of her head, she broke free the length she needed. She wrapped her arm with the practiced expertise of a seasoned soldier, not even bothering to look down as she did.


    ¡°Ah! Arv, how¡¯d ye fare? Looks like you got a couple.¡±


    She jerked her head towards his trident. The three prongs still dripped with rancid blood.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, sparing a weak glance down at his weapon. He must¡¯ve let more show on his face than intended, because she continued,


    ¡°Ye get used to it eventually, lad¡­the killin¡¯, that is.¡±


    The normally jovial quality of her face seemed to lessen as she spoke. Her brows furrowed into a look of concern. ¡°You never forget your first kill. Never.¡±


    ¡°I sure won¡¯t.¡± Shamil spat from his back, ¡°Gonna hire someone to write a bloody song about it is what I¡¯m gonna do. I never wanna forget.¡±


    Hilda chuckled as she got back up on her feet.


    ¡°Whatever ye say, lass. Whatever ye say.¡± Her boots crunched loudly on the road as she walked away, waving her uninjured arm at Cretin, who approached with Valdora and the rest of the squad. Kaida and Zarl were already back, their faces red and chests heaving. They must¡¯ve just barely returned. Blood covered the front of Kaida¡¯s tabard, and Zarl¡¯s now-unkempt hair dripped with mud and gods knew what else. He was furiously trying to wipe it off when Arv approached, just mere steps behind Hilda.


    ¡°All present? Ah, yes. Good, good¡­¡± Valdora muttered, his eyes scanning their small huddle, ¡°Ensign?¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡± Elle called weakly as Neyra and Shamil assisted her down and out of the Howdah. ¡°A bit banged up, but all accounted for.¡±


    Valdora nodded curtly and turned to Kaida. She rushed forward to tend to Elivera. The Howdah felt much too light with all the girls on the ground. Neyra knelt on the cold dirt road, holding Elivera¡¯s head in her lap as Kaida worked on her wounds. Shamil stood firmly at attention, her crossbow cradled in her arms like a child. Arv¡¯s eyes narrowed in brotherly concern as he watched Kaida work.


    ¡°Right,¡± Valdora said, ¡°I¡¯ve set the village council to ?leading this caravan. Their heads seem level enough, and the people will be more apt to follow familiar faces in a situation like this. According to their high judge, we got everyone out. All are present in our wagons or on the ground. That leaves us a group of about five thousand to escort back to the walled city. I intend for every one of those five thousand to make it back in one piece. Our task is now primarily protection and escort. Understood?¡±


    There was a chorus of agreement and salutes. Valdora turned to each of them one by one, giving more orders as he went.


    ¡°Hilda! Riza! Cretin! I want you at the head of the caravan. Keep a close watch on our eastern flank. If anything sneaks through, it¡¯ll be there. Elwin, I need you with Lieutenant Kaida to man the center.¡±


    ¡°Now as for you.¡± He said as he crouched down to Elle¡¯s level. Kaida was just finishing up the last sutures as he spoke, ¡°I need you and your family guarding our rear. Shamil and Zarl will assist. Understood?¡±


    Elle winced in pain as Kaida dressed the wound, but she nodded curtly,


    ¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± And, to prove that fact, she scrambled to her feet.


    ¡°Good. We¡¯ll head out as soon as we take account of the bodies. Specialist Neyra!¡±


    Neyra yelped softly and turned to look at Valdora, staring at him for a moment before she gave her clumsy salute. She had terrible form. Arv needed to help her practice.


    ¡°You¡¯re needed. Come with me.¡±


    ***


    Neyra gulped, her face paling as she looked at the sight before her. Cretin and Elwin were working together to haul the bodies of the dead riders and their beasts. This was the pile of those who attacked her group. Evidently, Riza and Hilda were making a similar pile further up the line.


    Both groups of the squad were attacked, and both flares had gone up at nearly the same time. It was fortunate that Valdora came to help them at all; the other team made much quicker work of their lot, she supposed. And now she looked at the fruits of their labors. Blood still leaked from beneath plates of black armor. The stench was horrific.


    Valdora got right in there, seemingly unphased by the gore. He picked one rider up under its arms and dragged it unceremoniously from its brethren.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    He deposited the corpse right at her feet. He bent down and peeled off layers of armor from the rider, exposing the left shoulder blade. Neyra crouched down, her intense curiosity stopping the tide of bile that was in her throat. Upon the shoulder of the wolf rider was a brand. Its edges glowed with a latent arcane power, visible only to a trained eye. Neyra fumbled at her side for one of her notebooks, and her eyes never left the symbol as she began sketching the design. That glow was fading, and fading fast.


    ¡°Anything of note, Specialist?¡±


    Neyra almost didn¡¯t hear him. She was muttering to herself like she always did when she was deep in thought. Her brain felt like it was running through hundreds of distinct possibilities, each with their own path of research. She needed more information. She held the sketch up to the brand on the body, comparing for accuracy.


    ¡°Are they all marked like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Every monster, beast, and soldier that comes from this shadow has this brand. Ever since the beginning,¡±


    Valdora bent down further to examine the brand, letting his fingers run across the scarred tissue. It resembled a winged serpent in flight. A dragon, if her eyes didn¡¯t deceive her.


    ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± Neyra murmured. She held her breath and reached out with her arcane senses. It had a residual energy about it, though it was fading fast. She couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint the nature of the enchantment. Whatever it was, it just felt¡­wrong.


    ¡°I wish I could tell you more Captain, but this is beyond my capacity,¡± she turned to him, grimacing.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to,¡± he said with a small smile, ¡°Not a person in the Light¡¯s forces has made any sense of it yet. Not even your master, Mistress Irene.¡±


    Neyra¡¯s brows rose at that comment.


    ¡°Then why even ask me at all?¡±


    ¡°You needed to know,¡± he replied simply, ¡°Sometimes a fresh perspective is exactly what¡¯s needed. Neyra, consider this your special assignment. Every enemy we dispose of needs to be examined. I want a log of all brands or markings we might come across.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sir. You can count on me.¡± Neyra pocketed her notebook again and stepped back from the body.


    ¡°I knew I could. Besides,¡± he stepped back with her and they walked back to the main caravan formation, ¡°From what Elivera tells me, you never turn down an academic challenge.¡±


    He was right, of course.


    ***


    Elivera took a breath, still wincing slightly at the pain from her wound, and tried to rub the drowsiness from her eyes. They had been on the move for about ten hours now, and the sun was finally above the horizon. It illuminated the sad sight ahead of her.


    The refugees moved with heavy steps. There were occasional shouts, calls, and murmurs from the people, but not nearly what she would expect from a caravan this large. They were exhausted, but Valdora never slowed their pace. The one stop they took last night was all they dared afford. Elivera was only given a few extra hours of sleep due to her wounds¡­and maybe due to the fact that she was riding on her brother¡¯s back. She was extremely grateful to be closer to the city limits now. They all could do with a proper rest, the poor townsfolk most of all.


    ¡°How you holdin¡¯ up there, Elle?¡± Shamil asked. Elivera¡¯s eyebrows rose in surprise. Shamil¡¯s ears must have caught the sounds of Elle¡¯s groaning, because her eyes never left the sights of her crossbow. She didn¡¯t even so much as turn as she spoke. Her visual attention rested completely on their rear flank, ¡°Have any sweet dreams?¡±


    ¡°Yes. In fact, I dreamed that Arv bathed. It was wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I heard that!¡±


    ¡°No offense meant big guy. We all stink.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I can fix that,¡± Neyra mused from beside Elle, and within a couple of moments the smells of dirt, blood, and body odor disappeared, replaced by honey and vanilla. Elle turned to her sister incredulously.


    ¡°You mean you could do that this whole time?!¡±


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m tired too. And while prestidigitations are relatively simple castings, a wizard must¡­¡± Neyra drifted into a full-winded explanation of some sort of magic nonsense, which Elle promptly tuned out, ¡°...you can¡¯t expect me to keep everyone fresh as daisies all the time, can you? Elle?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ah! Yes, I suppose I can¡¯t,¡±


    ¡°Our big sister¡­makin¡¯ magic smells,¡± Arv mused with a soft chuckle. He was interrupted by sudden whoops and cheers from the crowd ahead.


    ¡°The wall must be in sight now.¡± Neyra said with a grateful sigh. The Howdah dipped noticeably as Arv¡¯s shoulders relaxed. Elle closed her eyes and smiled. They had made it back home.

 Debriefing

    Chapter Four


    Debriefing


    Neyra hummed in concentration as she scribbled into her notebook. She wanted to record everything while it was still fresh in her mind. She still couldn¡¯t believe that they had really done all that.


    She hoped they would never see those dark riders ever again, much less fight them! But fight them they had, and they survived. And, much more importantly, they saved a town from befalling the same fate as theirs once had.


    Neyra blinked out a sneaky tear at the thought of her home¡­Piria. It landed on the page with a small tap and made a smudge in the ink. Home. Ma¡­Da¡­she thought, reaching up to touch her cheek, Gone. It¡¯s still gone. She shook her head and tried to focus once more on her work, but it was hopeless. She closed the book and secured the straps, making sure to store everything properly. Would they even recognize us? Her head was swimming as she leaned back on the small camp stool.


    The accommodations at the main camp were better than those on the road, but not by much. And Neyra didn¡¯t look forward to their first long distance assignment. She wouldn¡¯t have her own tent, a luxury she coveted even though it was tiny. Absent-mindedly, she wondered if she couldn¡¯t alter the Howdah to provide some sort of extra shelter when off of Arv¡¯s back?


    She sighed and was about to get up when a familiar face peeked through the tent flap.


    ¡°Knock knock,¡± said Elivera, her lips spreading into a smile as she stepped in, ¡°Enjoying the army camp experience, Ney?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you all lived like this for a whole year.¡±


    ¡°Well, we couldn¡¯t all go off to live in some cushy library for our training now, could we?¡±


    She nudged Neyra with a cheeky grin.


    ¡°Very very funny, Elle,¡± Neyra rolled her eyes, giving Elle an equal shove back.


    ¡°Might I also mention that this is a specialist tent. The basic recruit ones were smaller, and we had to share.¡±


    Neyra glared playfully at her words as she stood to embrace her little sister.


    ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure, Ensign Tallfellow?¡±


    She ruffled Elle¡¯s hair, and then frowned as she looked into her face. Gone was the mirth and instead, Elivera looked at her with serious eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯re needed.¡±


    ***


    Elivera polished her sword, her mind abuzz with frantic thoughts. If anyone was looking, they¡¯d see only a cool and measured exterior. But those who knew her would see right through that flimsy facade. She tried to tune out the hustle and bustle of the surrounding street, but it was difficult. The road in front of Irene¡¯s shop was more crowded than ever. Soft bells announced Neyra¡¯s exit from the bookshop. Elivera never looked up, but she could feel her sister¡¯s discerning gaze on her as sure as anything.


    ¡°And how is Master Irene?¡± Elle asked, trying to distract herself.


    ¡°She is well. Though I don¡¯t suppose I¡¯ll be seeing her again. She¡¯s gone off to train more recruits in the other war camp,¡±


    Elle could hear the strain in her sister¡¯s voice. Neyra had spent the better part of an hour inside the library with her Master. Elivera was grateful that she had stayed outside to wait. Her mind was frazzled enough without having to see her sister cry. That might have sent her over the edge. Her cloth continued its work, driving the polish into her blade.


    Elle heard the swish of Neyra¡¯s clothing as she knelt down in front of her face. She wore tailored cloth robes instead of the armor favored by the rest of the squad. Neyra had said it was all about proper mobility for somatic spell components or somethin¡¯ ridiculous like that. Elle thought it was a good way to get killed. But what did she know? She was out of her realm here. And every day she feared she would let them all down.


    Both of Neyra¡¯s hands reached up to cup her face. Her nimble fingers swiped an escaped tear that Elivera hadn¡¯t noticed.


    ¡°Oh, Elle¡­¡± she smiled softly as she pressed her forehead to hers, ¡°There¡¯s no challenge too great for a Tallfellow,¡± she whispered, her nose scrunching up just like Ma''s used to. Elle shook with repressed sobs, her hands leaving her sword to touch Neyra instead. She felt a warmth in her chest, spreading to that seashell necklace she still wore around her neck. Her only token of home. Gods, she missed it. She missed home; Ma, Da, their simple way of life, everything. It still felt so cruel to have had everything ripped from her, even all these years later.


    Actually¡­not everything. She tightened her hold on her sister. They still had each other.


    ¡°What have we gotten into, Ney?¡± she managed, her voice shaking.


    She heard Neyra take a deep breath. Elle braced herself for a chiding. Something along the lines of I told you so! But it never came. Instead, Neyra took her hands and helped her to her feet. She bent down and picked up the sword, carefully placing it back into Elivera¡¯s trembling hands.


    ¡°Whatever it is¡­we¡¯ve gotten into it together. Don¡¯t you forget that.¡± Neyra locked eyes with her, and Elle saw a determination in her that was usually only reserved for arithmetic, or maybe indecipherable handwriting. But now those intense brown eyes locked onto hers, their irises reflecting the same shade of warmth back to each other. Elle found herself standing a bit straighter, and her spent tears made way for her strength to resume. She nodded, and together they walked back to their camp. There was still work to be done.


    ***


    Arv gripped the straps of his harness, testing their tightness. The howdah had performed perfectly in their last assignment and he felt nothing but overwhelming gratitude at the thought that he could carry his sisters through any danger. He wasn¡¯t wearing the main chassis right now, but he would be as soon as Neyra and Elle got back.


    The straps that criss-crossed across his broad chest made something similar to the first version of the howdah design. It was the same contraption that let him carry his sisters and Shamil away from Piria. These straps, of course, were quite a bit stronger. They had countless bits of buckles and latches hanging from the back that would allow him to hook up to the actual box that protected his family. He still needed Neyra and Shamil¡¯s help for that part. Something that little Ney lamented. Evidently, she was working on a better mechanism for attaching and detaching. He couldn¡¯t wait to see what she came up with next.


    His tent, although sized ¡®properly¡¯ for an orc, still felt cramped. And he breathed a deep sigh of relief upon exiting it. He carried everything he owned out of the tent in just one bundle under his arm.


    Arv was a simple fellow. He didn¡¯t have a compulsive need to collect books and trinkets like Neyra, and his collection of clothing paled in comparison to Elle¡¯s wardrobe. Usually, he liked to travel even lighter, but Valdora had informed them that this would be an arduous journey. He also said that their section of the camp was being decommissioned, and they were being set on full-time field duty. There would be no tent of his to even come back to.


    He supposed maybe he should feel a bit sentimental ¡®bout that fact, but Arv made it a habit to not get too attached to anywhere he lived. Time had taken too many homes from him. His sisters were his home now.


    He took a deep breath of the warm afternoon air and wondered when those sisters of his would be back. They left in enough of a hurry, and he would¡¯ve bet his next breakfast portion that they were makin¡¯ a trip to check on that master of Neyra¡¯s. Gods only knew when they¡¯d return to the city. He knew that she¡¯d want to say goodbye.


    Greybeard already said his own goodbyes to Arv and the girls at the tavern the night before, congratulating them on a successful first mission. Arv was thankful that the night didn¡¯t involve rescuing his inebriated sisters from goblin advances this time. Where was that runty little fellow, anyway? Arv spared a glance around their little circle of tents. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Their squad was afforded their own small section of the war camp, their accommodations nestled within other smaller groups of what he assumed were other specialty units. Valdora and Kaida shared a command tent at the head of their camp formation, and the rest of the squad had their own neat cluster of tents off to the side. The area of the squad¡¯s camp normally reserved for the cookfire had a wagon parked there instead, and Cretin and Riza were working to load it up with their supplies. Hilda waved to him from her perch on top of a barrel.


    ¡°Oi! Arv! Help a lass out here, would ya?¡±


    Arv smiled as he walked over, bending down to help. Hilda was strong, yes, but quite short. With a smile, he gave her that little extra boost that got the barrel in the wagon. Arv liked Hilda. She reminded him of the nice things that could happen in life, like good ale and plentiful curse words.


    ¡°What, Hilda? You can¡¯t ask the lizard woman or the beast man for help¡­ but the orcling lad is fine?¡± Cretin bellowed jovially from off to the side. His words were mirthful, and Arv felt himself smile. Cretin and Riza lifted the last trunk together and then made their way over.


    They must¡¯ve painted quite the odd picture, the four of them. Arv wondered if the other squads were quite this diverse. The entire army was populated with all manner of diverse folk, of course. But in basic training he noticed how they split and camped among others of their own kind. In this squad, however, they had no real choice but to intermingle. It was welcome. As an orc raised by halflings, he knew damn well that the world could use a little more interminglin¡¯.


    ¡°Bah!¡± Hilda said, ¡°You had yer claws full over there with all that winter nonsense. Besides, the lad needed to be put to work!¡±


    Riza chuckled and looked Arv up and down appraisingly while nudging Cretin in the arm. Her tail swished around, kicking up dirt behind her.


    ¡°Careful who you call orcling, my warm blooded friend. This one will outgrow you, I guarantee it.¡±


    Arv puffed out his chest and tried to stand straighter. He was near eye level to Cretin and he didn¡¯t know what it would be like to be even taller! Bloody amazin¡¯, probably.


    ¡°Yes, Arv¨C¡± Hilda¡¯s voice changed as she shifted into a growling guttural language he couldn¡¯t understand. She spoke it with enthusiasm, and looked at him expectantly as she finished. Arv just stared blankly back at her.


    ¡°Ye speak no orcish, lad?¡± She finally said after a moment, switching back to common. Arv shrugged,


    ¡°Why¡­why would I speak orcish??¡± He asked, genuinely curious.


    Hilda looked at him and shook her head.


    ¡°Boy, you are a bit strange. You know that?¡±


    ¡°Runs in the family.¡±


    At that, Hilda burst into laughter, followed quickly by Cretin and Riza.


    ¡°Aye, that it does, lad. That it does. Where did those sisters of yours get off to, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, yes. Where are the little ones? Captain wants everything ready by highsun,¡±


    Riza closed her eyes, swiveling her great reptilian head around on her long neck. Her brightly colored frills swayed gently as she moved.


    ¡°I cannot smell them,¡± she said.


    Hilda raised her eyebrow, muttering under her breath. It was something like ¡®Speaking of strange¡¯. Arv smiled. Yes, they were all quite strange indeed.


    ***


    Shamil and Zarl walked in time with the Captain and his lieutenant. Or rather, Shamil made a feeble attempt to stay in time. She figured if she kept slowing her pace by increments as they made the trip back from the quartermaster, eventually she would be a whole three paces behind. And that would give her an excellent view of the Captain¡¯s backside. She smirked to herself as she readjusted the bundles in her arms. She, Zarl, Kaida, and even Valdora must''ve looked like beasts of burden as they wound their way through the army encampment. Valdora kept refusing offers of a cart. Stupid, stubborn, beautiful man, she thought to herself.


    The goblin huffed slightly at her side. Shamil knew Zarl best out of all their new squad mates. They spent a lot of overlapping time at the range during their basic training. He was obviously meant for more dexterous work. Zarl climbed trees and shot things. He didn¡¯t carry things around. Shamil¡¯s eyes narrowed in mischievous concentration as she let her gaze break away from Valdora. The poor goblin was roped into this, and she could tell he was right annoyed about it too. She had a feelin¡¯ he wanted to be there when Neyra and Elle got back.


    ¡°Doin¡¯ alright there, Zarl?¡± She asked with a grin as their portion of the camp finally came into view.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said with a grunt, ¡°just ready to put these down.¡±


    Shamil hummed in acknowledgment, wondering how best to torture the poor boy. Ah yes, excellent! She had it, the perfect little jab. She kept her voice low enough for the Captain and Kaida to not hear.


    ¡°Hey, Neyra! I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back yet!¡± she said jovially, acting as if she were looking at someone ahead of them. In truth, she was studying Zarl for a reaction. It was certain to be hilarious. And sure enough, he stumbled and nearly dropped everything that was in his arms. Beautiful. Simply beautiful.


    ¡°What?!¡± He asked as he struggled to maintain his balance. He was looking around with wide, anxious eyes.


    It took everything in Shamil to keep it cool and not to laugh. Zarl figured out pretty quickly that he¡¯d been had, and he scowled at Shamil. She smiled darkly at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s not funny,¡±


    The tips of his ears flushed to match his cheeks.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s quite hysterical, actually.¡±


    Shamil chuckled as she set her load down next to the wagon.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re getting at.¡±


    He grumbled as he walked the last few steps to the team¡¯s wagon. He deposited his bags on the ground, hurriedly dusting his hands off on his tabard after he did.


    Perhaps she was being a bit cheeky, but she had to do something to fill the time. It had been far too long without shooting something. Their last assignment was nearly two whole days ago. That was two days without sending a bolt through someone¡¯s head. Her practice targets just weren¡¯t the same. She had the itch, and she knew she wouldn¡¯t survive the long journey ahead if she didn¡¯t have a good distraction. So then and there, she decided it would be her mission to mess with Zarl as much as gnomishly possible. She needed to figure out just how deep this little crush of his went.


    Of course, any mission to mess with Zarl naturally merged into a mission to mess with Neyra and Arv as well. It was funny as all hells to hear Arv get in such a huff about that first night at the tavern. He blabbered on and on to both her and Elle about how Zarl was trying to ¡®seduce¡¯ Neyra. That¡¯s definitely not what had happened. She saw that much before she blacked out. The poor lad was a bit smitten, yes that much was obvious. But he was a far cry from ¡®trying to seduce¡¯ Neyra. And boy oh boy, was it fun to poke Arv¡¯s buttons about it. And Zarl¡¯s. Neyra had no buttons to press, and that¡¯s because she was beautifully, completely, painfully oblivious to it all.


    And just as Shamil was wondering just how she would go about getting Arv to blow his lid she heard Elle and Neyra approaching, for real this time. The two were laughing about something, and they walked with their arms linked. Shamil stretched and leaned back against the wagon. She glanced around. The rest of the team was hard at work, either loading the wagon or packing equipment. Arv had abandoned his task and hurried up to his sisters. Shamil smiled as she watched him scoop them up into a big hug.


    ¡°Stop it, you big lug! That¡¯s an order. You put me down!¡±


    Though Elle shouted, her tone was playful. Neyra just giggled. Her melodious laughter drifted through the air and tickled Shamil¡¯s ears. It was good to hear her laugh again. Shamil was well aware that Neyra had her reservations about all of this army business. But Shamil also knew that, above all, Neyra just wanted to be with her family. Their time apart while she was training with Mistress Irene was rough on her, although she didn¡¯t let on about it in her letters. But Shamil knew better than anyone (except perhaps Elle) how to read between Neyra¡¯s lines. Yes, even though they were sure to face untold danger, at least they would face it all together.


    ¡°Everyone!¡± Valdora shouted, signaling the squad to gather in the command tent. Arv set his sisters back down on the ground with a grin, and they hurried to obey. Shamil languidly stretched her arms once more and sauntered over. She ducked through the tent flap just in time to see Zarl¡¯s sorry attempt at standing next to Neyra in the circle. It didn¡¯t exactly pan out for him. Shamil was pretty sure that Arv stepped on the fella¡¯s foot on purpose to get in between them. She snickered to herself.


    ¡°Now,¡± Valdora said, spreading a large map on the round table, ¡°We¡¯ve been given a task of paramount importance. To the north of here,¡± he pointed to a small mark on the map, ¡°lies the estate of one Lord Nero. General Roth has petitioned the Lords of the land for aid in fighting this threat. This Lord Nero, in particular, possesses a personal militia of considerable strength. However, the missives we¡¯ve sent in request of his aid have proven¡­ineffective. That¡¯s why the general has instructed our team to bargain in person.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a task fit for a more¡­diplomatic party, sir?¡± Neyra piped up. Her tone was respectful but curious.


    ¡°That¡¯s the other matter.¡± Valdora lowered his tone, ¡°Lord Nero¡¯s lands include some of the region¡¯s most important iron mines.¡± Valdora tapped several other small points on the map in quick succession, ¡°We have fears that the enemy will soon discover this fact and make efforts to claim it. The General wants fighters on this mission. Hopefully our own team''s diplomatic skills will be enough to convince him. Lord Nero seems to be under the impression that the shadow army is nothing but a valleyfolk threat,¡±


    ¡°Valleyfolk?¡± Arv asked, his brows furrowing as he pronounced the unfamiliar term.


    ¡°He just means non mountain folk,¡± Elwin muttered, arms crossed stiffly under her chest, ¡°The man thinks all that thin air up there will protect him,¡±


    Shamil studied the woman as she spoke. She seemed even more tense than usual, which was saying something for the already uptight half elf.


    ¡°As I said, this is much more than a diplomatic mission. It¡¯s likely that the enemy''s forces have already encroached into this territory. The General is counting on our team¡¯s special¡­talents for this matter.¡±


    The group was quiet as the weight of his words set in.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be traveling difficult terrain. The mountain pass is quite cold, even at this time of year. We¡¯ve been provided everything the army can spare to aid us, but it will still prove quite the challenge to get there. We¡¯ve enough supplies to get us to the main Estate. Our journey back may be dependent entirely on the effectiveness of our negotiations, keep that in mind.¡±


    Shamil exhaled softly. This sounded much more difficult than their previous assignment.


    ¡°I see the wagon is nearly loaded. Good. We still have a few hours left before noon. The Lieutenant, Ensign, and I will finalize our plans here. I want the rest of you to finish packing. Then I want you to go enjoy a drink. It might be the last we have for a while.¡±

 A Brief Respite

    Chapter 5


    A Brief Respite


    Neyra sat with ladylike grace on the floor of her tent; well, as much as one could sit ladylike on the dirty floor of a standard issue army tent. Her humble furniture was gone, taken back by the army for redistribution. All that remained was her trunk and her bedroll. That, and a year¡¯s worth of notes and journals that now laid in an organized disaster on the ground. She knew she should have supervised the soldiers who moved it all out. Don¡¯t people know you should leave precariously piled stacks of books just as they are??


    She was just about to get started on re-cataloging when she heard a soft knock on one of the poles of her tent.


    ¡°Um, hello?¡±


    Zarl¡¯s voice was gentle and timid, different from his normally expressive manner of speaking. Neyra wondered if something was the matter. She hurriedly stood and wiped her hands on her robes.


    ¡°Yes, Zarl? Come in! Just be careful of the mess.¡±


    Soon, the tent flap parted, and Zarl carefully ducked inside. He was in his uniform, the large golden sunburst of the army¡¯s tabard splayed proudly over his leather armor. He already had his travel cloak on, and his favorite scarf was wound loosely around his neck. Zarl smiled at her and cleared his throat. He ran his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit of his.


    ¡°So, um¡­you coming out with us, Miss Neyra?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I think I¡¯ve lost my taste for ale.¡± Neyra¡¯s cheeks reddened as she tried to banish memories of that night. Well, what little memories she even had of that night. That next morning''s hangover was enough to tell her how poorly it must¡¯ve gone.


    ¡°Oh! Um¡ªright. Yeah, actually I totally feel the same!¡± He chuckled as he scratched the side of his head, ¡°Drinkings overrated¡­I might just hit the range one more time, you know...work on my arms a bit. Maybe you¡¯d¡­want to come with me?¡±


    ¡°Oh no no no, I couldn¡¯t possibly intrude! Besides, I have to finish getting these properly sorted and stored.¡± She gestured to the piles of notebooks and scrolls around her.


    ¡°Oh,¡± his face looked a bit odd as he said it, and his ears drooped. If she didn¡¯t know any better she¡¯d say he was disappointed. But why would he be disappointed? He continued, ¡°Well¡­could you use any help?¡± his voice tinged with a bit of hope.


    ¡°Oh I couldn¡¯t possibly ask that of you, Zarl! My cataloging system is a bit tedious. First by language, then subject, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Language?¡± Zarl asked. His eyes finally left her face, taking in the sight around him, ¡°How many languages do you speak, exactly?¡±


    Neyra¡¯s face lit up at the mention of languages. It was one subject that she would never tire of,


    ¡°Well there¡¯s common and halfling, of course. Also gnomish, dwarven, and orcish. Orcish was a fun one to learn. I think I¡¯ve finally convinced Arv to let me give him some lessons. And! I¡¯ve even learned a bit of elvish! Took an eternity to find the proper books for it too, and that was even with Master Irene¡¯s help! I just read it, though. I¡¯m not so confident that I could speak it very well, should the need arise.¡±


    She shook her head and paused. She was rambling a bit, wasn¡¯t she? But Zarl didn¡¯t seem to mind. He just kept smiling at her,


    ¡°Well, um¡­if there¡¯s ever anything I can do to help you just¡ª¡° he rubbed the back of his neck with a clawed hand, ¡°you know where to find me. Except I guess I won¡¯t be there after today. I¡¯ll be on the road. But you¡¯ll still be with¡­me. On the road, that is. Because¡­same squad. An¡­and anyway I¡¯m just gonna¡­¡±


    ¡°Hit the range?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Enjoy your target practice, Zarl.¡±


    ¡°And you enjoy your books, Miss Neyra.¡±


    He sighed, and left her to her work.


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯m just gonna hit the range?!¡± Shamil hissed at Zarl, who jumped out of his skin as he left the tent. She was holding her side, trying desperately to keep quiet. Her body shook with the contained laughter.


    ¡°Gods damn it all, Shamil!¡± Zarl hissed back, brows knitted together in rage, ¡°Are you spying on me now?!¡±


    ¡°Eh,¡± Shamil shrugged, falling into step beside him. They were trying to get some distance from Neyra¡¯s tent, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it spyin¡¯ as much as I would call it keepin¡¯ an eye out for Neyra. Besides,¡± she grinned at him, ¡°Arv refused to leave with the others unless I did. And that boy needs a drink.¡±


    ¡°Well there¡¯s no need for any of that,¡± he growled, his pointed teeth grinding, ¡°I don¡¯t know what idea Arv¡¯s got in that head of his, but I¡¯ve got nothin but the utmost respect for the Specialist. Just¡­wanted to check in on her is all. I¡ªI like talking to her. She¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­and it has nothing to do with wanting to see her dance again?¡± Shamil leered at him as they continued to walk, their feet leading them subconsciously to the range.


    ¡°What? I¡ªno! I know she had a rough go of it that night. I don¡¯t want her to get like that again! Even if¡­¡±


    He trailed off, face turning pink.


    ¡°Even if you really want to hold her some more? Bleh,¡± Shamil gagged, ¡°Zarl, it¡¯s no use trying to deny it to me. It¡¯s about as obvious as a bolt to the head,¡± Shamil unslung her crossbow and loaded a bolt. They were at the shooting range, after all. And there was no use just standing there talking when you could stand there talking and shooting.


    ¡°But I would go ahead and keep on denyin¡¯ it if Arv asks ya. You might actually get to keep your ears that way.¡±


    Zarl muttered under his breath as he drew his bow. His face was still burning. He loosed an arrow and nearly missed the target entirely.  The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°You know, Neyra never really got on well with the other kids in our village. She was a bit¡­odd. Well, odd to them. There were a few older lads who thought it was fun to snatch her books. They¡¯d throw it back ¡®n forth just tryin¡¯ to get her all worked up.¡±


    As she spoke, Zarl nocked another arrow. His wide eyes weren¡¯t looking down the range, but were on her instead. He hung on to every word.


    ¡°Lookin back, it¡¯s pretty obvious they were just flirting with her. But you know what Arv did to them one day?¡± Zarl just stared at her as she spoke, his arrow forgotten.


    ¡°What?¡± He asked with some hesitation in his voice.


    ¡°Threw all three of ¡®em off the ocean cliff!¡± Shamil chuckled as she sent her bolt flying through the air. It landed dead center of the target. ¡°Didn¡¯t say a single word, either. Just picked them all up at once and just tossed them! They lived, of course. Though one fella broke his leg pretty bad. Arv got in a right heap of trouble for that. Had to scrape barnacles for a week.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°But my Da always said that was all just for show. He knew the Masters Tallfellow better than anyone. And he knew they were proud. You know what he said to me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He said, ¡®Tallfellows will always look after their own, and don¡¯t you forget it,¡¯¡± Shamil turned and looked Zarl in the eye as she loaded her next bolt.


    ¡°The point I¡¯m gettin¡¯ at is this: Neyra is my best friend. If anyone hurts her, or takes advantage of her, I¡¯d kill em. But Elivera¡­and Arv? What they would do?? It¡¯s so much worse.¡±


    Her second bolt sank directly into the target next to the first. She shouldered her crossbow once again. She turned to see Zarl staring right at her, his face finally drained of a bit of its redness.


    ¡°Enjoy the rest of your target practice, Zarl. See ya at noon.¡±


    ***


    The army tavern was beginning to grow on Arv. It was no Greybeard¡¯s, of course, but it wasn¡¯t half bad. The company helped.


    They had only been a squad for a few days now, and already they felt like real friends to him. Facing death together had a funny way of doing that to folk, he supposed. He grinned as Cretin set another mug in front of him.


    ¡°So tell me again, boy. You nearly drowned your sisters and Shamil while they were on your back??¡±


    ¡°I was tryin¡¯ to mask our scent is what I was doin¡¯!¡± He laughed, taking a drink from his mug, ¡°Those riders were on our trail, ¡®n as soon as we found a creek, I figured we¡¯d take advantage of the opportunity!¡±


    Hilda and Riza were both laughing alongside Cretin as he continued, ¡°Just went and forgot I was still carryin¡¯ them is all. I¡¯d been carryin¡¯ them a lot that night¡­¡±


    Arv¡¯s face fell by just the slightest measure, and it must have showed because his squad mates abruptly stopped laughing. Hilda reached out and gave him a firm pat on the arm¡±


    ¡°It must¡¯ve been bad,¡± she looked at him with discerning eyes, ¡°You don¡¯t even have to tell us everythin¡¯ that happened to ya that night. We know the look.¡±


    Riza and Cretin nodded gravely, each of them giving Arv their own versions of a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Facing an enemy again after many years, especially when that enemy has once laid waste to your tribe¡­it is difficult indeed. You did very well, Arv.¡± Riza shook her head and lapped at her drink.


    ¡°Indeed. You sent some of those bastards back to the hells, boy. You should be proud.¡± Cretin clapped Arv on the back and gave him a squeeze, ¡°We¡¯ll make a soldier of you yet.¡±


    ¡°Aye, that we will!¡± Hilda turned into the corner of the booth, rummaging around for her bag. There was clinking and clattering and a fair bit of cursing before she turned back to Arv again, a finely crafted tankard in her hand. Her grin was wide as she handed the cup to Arv.


    ¡°Now,¡± she began, and as she did, she waved for a barmaid to come over, ¡°This is a gift I wanna give ya on one condition!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°You sample every single variety of Dwarven ale they have on tap in this blasted tavern! And pay attention too! We¡¯re gonna figure out what ya like!¡±


    ***


    Elivera released a breath she didn¡¯t know she was holding. The sun was almost at its zenith in the clear, blue sky. And her squadron was finally trickling back in. She was relieved to see that all members were still steady on their feet. Elle had no worries for Hilda. She knew it would take much, much more than an hour of daytime drinking to get her even the tiniest bit inebriated.


    But Elivera wasn¡¯t rightly sure if she could put the same alcoholic trust into the other two fighters; Riza and Cretin. Elle actually had had quite a bit of contact with them in her months of training. Yet they were still a bit of a mystery to her. In just a few days, Arv had gotten to know them better than she had in an entire year! She felt proud, and perhaps a tad bit annoyed. She had a duty to these people, and she knew good relationships were essential for good leadership. She just wished that she was better at it!


    Her head was still a mess of thoughts as she made her way to her own tent. It was nearly cleared out. All that remained was her bedroll and the travel cloak that was neatly folded atop of it. She knelt down and tenderly picked up the garment, testing its weight in her hands. Elle sighed and unfurled the cloak in one swift motion, swinging it around her neck. It fell heavily on her shoulders, and Elle took a deep breath as she fastened the Ensign knots to her right shoulder. She could do this. She really could. Couldn¡¯t she?


    Elivera bent down and secured her bedroll, and as she did, she hummed. It began as a soft tune, low in the back of her throat. But before she knew it, the words were leaving her lips, gently carried on the soft tone of her voice.


    Close your eyes, dear child small


    And listen to the waves that call


    Her tone gently warbled as she strained to make the higher notes without singing any louder. Before long, there came the all familiar sound of a timid voice drifting from somewhere near her tent.


    Dreams on cliffs, where great gulls fly


    ¡¯Neath a vast and starlit sky


    Neyra¡¯s voice fell into harmony with her own, melding effortlessly into their mother¡¯s song. Smiling, Elle stood up with a now-fastened bedroll in hand and made her way over to Neyra¡¯s tent.


    Her sister was sitting on a small trunk, a trunk that Elivera knew contained the most important portions of Neyra¡¯s extensive academic collection. It was surely an ordeal for her poor Ney, havin¡¯ to pick which would come with her and which would stay safe at Greybeard¡¯s. She looked forlorn and exhausted as she sat there, but her lips curled in a gentle smile as she continued to sing.


    Hush my little one, drift away


    To where the gentle waters sway


    Here in my arms, no need of fear


    Ne¡¯er to leave, my darling dear


    She finished with a small sniffle and stood up to embrace Elle.


    ¡°Thank you. I¨CI needed that.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Elivera muttered, ¡°Me too.¡±


    She pulled back, and gave Neyra a bright smile.


    ¡°You ready to go?¡±


    ¡°Bout as ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Arv will let that in the Howdah, sis,¡± Elle said, nodding her head toward the trunk.


    Neyra scowled and gave her a little punch on the arm.


    ¡°This is for the cart. And it¡¯s not that heavy!! I need these for Valdora¡¯s assignment. I have no idea what we¡¯ll come across, and I have to have some resources ready!¡±


    The box was small enough for Neyra to manage on her own, but Elivera still grabbed one end and helped her carry it over to the wagon. The moment they passed the threshold of the tent all eyes turned to them.


    ¡°Ah! Finally done packing that thing?¡± Riza chuckled. Her long reptilian legs carried her to them in only a few strides, and she took the trunk with just one clawed hand.


    ¡°Thank you, Riza.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my small, warm friends,¡± she hissed, ¡°This is the last of it. I believe we are ready to go now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡± Valdora declared from his seat on the wagon. Kaida sat beside him, and she held a large map with careful hands.


    ¡°Oi! All aboard!¡± Arv called from the other side, patting the Howdah with a large hand, ¡°Took you long enough!¡±


    Elivera shook her head and smiled as she clambered up to her spot in the center of the Howdah. She let her gaze fall to the North, studying the faint outline of the mountain range. Gods preserve them. This was going to be quite the journey.

 Shenanigans

    Chapter 6


    Shenanigans


    Shamil furrowed her eyebrows as she studied the ground before her. She would need to proceed with caution if she was going to make this work. A tiny bead of sweat trickled down her neck despite the chilly air that hung heavy over the camp. They had only just entered the mountain pass. The true cold was still a day or two of travel ahead of them.


    ¡°Sometime this day, little one.¡± Riza hissed teasingly, ¡°Or do you yield?¡±


    The lizard woman sat cross-legged in the dirt straight across from Shamil, her slitted eyes reflecting the light of the nearby campfire. Shamil cursed to herself as she ran through all of her moves again. This game of stones was not going well. Curse these lizardfolk rules. It also didn¡¯t help that Cretin was practically breathing down her neck as she tried to decide.


    ¡°Would you cut that out?!¡± She snapped at him, trying to shoo his big, hairy face away with her tiny hand, ¡°Your breath¡¯s almost as bad as Arv¡¯s after lamprey pie night¡­¡± Her words were mirthful, not cruel, and Cretin chuckled as he leaned back a bit. The sound was like dozens of rocks tumbling around in an empty barrel.


    ¡°I told you. Never agree to lizardfolk rules.¡± He muttered, ¡°Hilda and I learned that lesson the hard way.¡±


    ¡°Well, shit.¡± Shamil spat into the dirt, ¡°Either I yield, or you beat me next move, anyway!¡± She clambered to her feet, and even standing at her full height, she had to crane her neck up to look at Riza, who still sat calmly on the ground. Her reptilian eyes glittered with mirth as she held a hand out.


    Shamil grumbled as she reached up to untie one of her buns of hair. It fell down the side of her face, black strands blocking out the firelight and covering just one of her flushed cheeks. At least that was something. She fumbled at her belt for her knife.


    ¡°Still don¡¯t understand why you can¡¯t just bet silver like the rest of us,¡±


    She chose a lock of her hair at random. With a quick tug, she cut a modest length free from her head and held it out to Riza.


    ¡°Your silver brings me no strength.¡±


    Riza shrugged her shoulders as she bound the lock of hair with a cord.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the fit Zarl threw when she won his hair. We practically had to hold him down!¡± Cretin bellowed.


    ¡°Did NOT!¡± Zarl objected, his voice cracking in indignation from the treetops above. He was lounging on a tree branch as he studied the game.


    ¡°Ahhh, so that¡¯s why you had that strange cowlick for half of boot camp.¡±


    Shamil grinned wickedly. Zarl gave her a pointed glare and turned his attention away to the other side of the camp, muttering something under his breath in Goblin.


    Shamil didn¡¯t feel any particular way about losing a lock of hair. She just didn¡¯t like losing games. The hair didn¡¯t really matter. In fact, losing hair to Riza¡¯s collection almost seemed like a rite of passage for their strange, little squadron. She watched as Riza deftly attached the small tail of hair to a loop on her belt. It joined the ranks with several others, each immediately recognizable to Shamil¡¯s keen eyes.


    There was the beautiful, silvery blue of Valdora, braided in a simple pattern and tied with fine thread. Hilda¡¯s bright ginger curls were twisted tight and decorated with metal beads. A tiny braid of Elwin¡¯s short, blond hair was nearly engulfed by the wiry, haphazard bundle of Cretin¡¯s mane that hung next to it. Similarly, a small shiny lock of obsidian black hair from Zarl was overshadowed by the brilliant auburn of Neyra and Elle¡¯s contribution.


    Neyra had been the first to offer her hair to Riza freely, no bet required. That seemed to perplex the lizard woman to no end. However, she clearly understood once Neyra unveiled one of her own strange collections¡­feathers. Shamil smiled at the memory. It turned out that Riza and Neyra were quite the kindred spirits. Neyra was almost overjoyed at the prospect of her hair joining Riza¡¯s collection.


    Shamil grunted as she expertly tied her hair back into its proper style. It never felt natural to have it hanging loose like that.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­Shamil! If you can¡¯t beat her, then no one can!¡± Elivera called from across the campfire. She sat perched on a rock near Arv. He hunched over the cook pot, large spoon in hand, busy stirring their evening meal.


    ¡°What can I say?¡± Shamil shrugged and sauntered over to where Arv worked, peering into the pot with curious eyes, ¡°How¡¯s it coming over here?¡±


    Arv just grunted and bent his head down closer to the pot, carefully adding a pinch of some herbs to the concoction. Cooking always made the lad focus, and there was no getting through to him when he focused. The stakes were especially high for this meal. Zarl had shot a couple rabbits during his scouting duties today, (Shamil was fairly certain that it was the first thing the fella ever did that Arv actually liked) and Arv was being extra careful to use their bounty properly. It took some extra time to roast, but the shredded meat was a welcome addition to the boiled grain mixture that they usually made for their evening meals.


    ¡°Smells amazing,¡± Elle remarked, patting her brother on the arm, ¡°Ma always said you had a gift for it.¡±


    At that comment, Arv finally turned his head and smiled.


    ¡°Well, it ain¡¯t fish.¡± He muttered, tapping the spoon on the side of the pot, ¡°But it¡¯ll have to do!¡±


    Shamil smiled as she noticed the blush on his green cheeks. Arv got all flustered any time you tried to compliment his cookin¡¯. But just as she was about to tease him about it, she heard something odd. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, he won¡¯t do it!¡±


    The muffled voice came from nearby. Whoever said it was obviously trying to reign in their frustration. It took her a moment to place who it belonged to. Elwin. Sure enough, a few moments later, the half-elven woman ducked out of Valdora¡¯s tent, her face dour. What was that about?


    Kaida came out a moment later, followed by Valdora himself. Shamil giggled internally at the thought of the three of them hunched in that tent. Their travel shelters were a far cry from their tents back at the main army encampment. Even the ¡®command tent¡¯ was barely larger than what the rest of them had. It was hardly the place for a proper meeting.


    ¡°She¡¯s been getting more and more tense the closer we get to those mountains¡­¡± Elle muttered, keeping her eyes pointedly away from Elwin as she came to sit by the fire. Shamil covertly nodded as she got out her mess kit. Arv scooped up a portion for her and all the others who made their way to the fire.


    Cretin was among the first in line, holding out his tin plate eagerly. He had been pestering Arv about how long it would take just before wandering over to watch her lose her game with Riza. He had grown quite fond of the lad¡¯s cooking. And, to Shamil¡¯s surprise, so had she!


    Another strange sound came from the cluster of tents and drifted towards the fire. It was a sound that she, Arv, and Elivera were all quite accustomed to¡­but one that the rest of the squadron didn¡¯t quite know what to make of yet. That sound, of course, was Neyra¡¯s yawning. It was impossible to describe, but Shamil supposed it was a bit like a cross between an infant child and a wounded cat. It was never exactly the same every time, but it was always comically loud. Neyra was a deep sleeper, and she insisted (always with a red face) that she needed to make that kind of noise in order to wake her mind up properly.


    Soon, her friend came stumbling out of the little tent she shared with Elivera, rubbing her eyes and stretching her arms. Neyra shuffled up to the fire, her voice still croaky from sleep,


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever get used to this.¡±


    ¡°To what?¡±


    ¡°Sleeping like a soldier.¡± She muttered, nodding in thanks to Arv as he handed her a bowl of dinner.


    ¡°Bah! You¡¯ll grow accustomed, little miss.¡± Hilda said between bites of supper, ¡°And soon you¡¯ll be able to sleep at the drop of a hat just like the rest of us!¡±


    She elbowed Cretin as she said it. The beast of a man was the most skilled at falling asleep quickly. Shamil remembered Neyra had timed it at less than a minute once before. She was also fairly certain that Neyra was trying to figure out the secret to his success.


    ¡°I just wish I didn¡¯t need a nap in order to make it through first watch.¡± She muttered sheepishly, ¡°It¡¯s pathetic.¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s cute.¡± Shamil offered with a smirk, though she didn¡¯t mean it strictly as reassurance. She let her gaze drift over to Zarl and Arv as she said it. The goblin had stopped mid bite and his face softened in agreement. But he wisely kept the expression cool and measured, because Arv was right there glaring at him. His orc eyes seemed to say, Just try saying it out loud, buddy. See what happens. Of course, Neyra didn¡¯t notice any of that. Instead, she punched Shamil in the arm and scrunched her face up at her. That just made her look even cuter.


    ¡°So, are we going to talk about it?¡± Riza mused after a lull in the campfire conversation. She had finished her meal and was now idly running her fingers through the plaits of hair at her belt. Arv¡¯s eyes widened in shock and he nearly dropped his bowl. Zarl choked on his bite of food. Neyra just looked at Riza questioningly.


    ¡°About?¡± Elle asked, one eyebrow raised. Riza turned to look at Elwin, who sat near the edge of their gathered group, obviously trying to stay distant.


    ¡°Why do you grow so ill-tempered as we approach your homelands?¡±


    Ah, yes. That. Not the other thing.


    Elwin rolled her eyes and turned to face the group with a small huff. Her almond-shaped eyes narrowed to slits, and she sat her bowl down to the side.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she spat, though the venom was quickly leaving her voice, replaced with only an almost-yearning kind of sadness, ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly leave home on the best of terms. As soon as those first reports about the shadow came far enough north to reach me, I knew I needed to join the fight. I tried to talk some sense into the man, tried to get him to let me go with his blessing¡­¡±


    Arv looked at her with a curious expression as she spoke, seemingly lost in thought. His mouth kept mouthing the word Nero over and over.


    ¡°Stubborn man left me with no choice but t¨C¡±


    ¡°WAIT.¡± Arv bellowed suddenly, sending some nearby birds into the air with fright, ¡°Is Lord Nero your Father?!¡±


    Neyra physically put her face in her palm as the rest of the group groaned and chuckled. Poor Elwin looked absolutely exasperated as she reached both hands up to rub at her temples.


    ¡°Astutely noted, brother.¡± Elivera said with a grin. Arv sputtered and waved his arms in the air as he met the squad¡¯s amused looks.


    ¡°What?! I feel like that could have been made clearer!¡± He protested indignantly.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Elwin continued in a tired, strained voice, ¡°My father never really knew what to do with me. Ever. I don¡¯t think any noble house really knows what to do with their bastard children¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re illegitimate?¡± Shamil asked, genuinely surprised at the revelation. That certainly explained Elwin¡¯s reluctance to talk about her background. And it explained the tension that she seemed to carry as of late.


    ¡°Yes. And as such, I¡¯m not really his heir. Not officially, at least. It¡¯s not like I was expected to take over the house someday! So I didn¡¯t understand why he was putting up such a fight over me leaving. He said¡­things. And I said some things. And needless to say, our parting wasn¡¯t pleasant.¡±


    She looked down at the ground, shuffling her feet awkwardly in the dirt.


    ¡°I don¡¯t regret leaving home. I believe in our army¡¯s purpose. I believe in what we¡¯re doing here. But I do regret how I left. And now I¡¯m worried about what we¡¯ll find when we get there.¡± She turned her gaze upward towards the not-so-distant mountain peaks, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect to return so soon.¡±


    For a moment, the only sounds that met Shamil¡¯s ears were the crackling of flames and the soft evening calls of birds. Finally Valdora cleared his throat.


    ¡°And you believe he won¡¯t commit his men to the fight.¡±


    ¡°I know he won¡¯t.¡± She spat, and upon seeing Valdora¡¯s level look, she quickly muttered, ¡°¡­Sir.¡±


    ¡°Well, it has been some time since you left. We can only hope that his attitudes have changed. I¡¯m not exaggerating when I say that his contribution could turn the tide of this war.¡± He moved the gaze to each of them?. ¡°We must convince him.¡±


    The intensity of that gaze shook Shamil to her core. There was a fire in his eyes that seemed almost inhuman. As everyone else slowly returned to their idle evening chatter, Shamil stared down at her bowl, lost in thought. What was it that drove that man?? Honor? Vengeance? Or something else entirely?

 Scorched Earth

    Chapter 7


    Scorched Earth


    The temperature plummeted as the miles wore on; the air growing thinner the further they traveled up the mountain pass. Neyra was finally grateful for all the space they had dedicated in the wagon for winter supplies. She would be dead without the extra cloaks and gloves, not to mention the thicker, fur-lined bedrolls they slept in. It turned out that some things were more useful than books, after all.


    A thin layer of snow crunched underneath Arv¡¯s boots as he trudged up the road, carrying his family safely on his back. Behind them, Kaida guided the mule with a firm hand, urging it to continue pulling their wagon. That wagon was much lighter now than it was at the start of their trip, but the road had grown more treacherous. The poor beast looked even more tired than Arv.


    Neyra uttered a prayer of thanks for her brother. She was quite thankful to have the sturdy walls of the Howdah to break the cold, mountain wind. They offered him plenty of breaks, but he often refused. He said that having the three of them generating heat back there kept him warm. Neyra was pretty sure he was lying (They did little more than huddle together and shiver when they rode) But it was a loving lie.


    Ahead of them, she saw Valdora scan the road with keen eyes. They would arrive at the Estate sometime today, and she could tell that he was on edge. He leaned on his spear as he walked up the incline, keeping his sights on the trees ahead. Zarl would be up there somewhere.


    Sure enough, she saw a tiny flash of warm green as Zarl removed his hood and pulled down his scarf. The green of his face stood in stark contrast to the darker needles of the evergreens that they hiked underneath. Zarl slid down to a lower branch, waving a hand at Valdora, who rushed over. He perched there like a little bird while he gave his report.


    Kaida pulled the wagon to a halt, and the rest of their squadron made their way up toward where Valdora stood. Elwin was the first to reach them, skidding to a halt as Zarl finished speaking. Arv was too far back for Neyra to hear what he said.


    Then Elwin broke into a sprint.


    ¡°Soldier!¡± Valdora yelled, hoisting his great spear as he ran to follow her. The moment she crested the hill she came to a sudden halt, and Neyra could see how her knees wobbled before she fell. Arv got them to the top of the hill a moment later, just in time to hear her broken words.


    ¡°No¡­no!¡±


    In the valley before them stood the grand fields and pastures that supported the heart of Lord Nero¡¯s lands. Cattle and sheep laid in pieces on the ground, their throats split and their innards spilled. Fields that should have held hearty, early winter crops were burnt to the ground, nothing but white ash and scorched earth now. Hot spots still smoldered here and there, sending trails of acrid smoke into the thin mountain air. Carrion birds fluttered and cawed as they fought over the spoils. Their movement was the only sign of life as far as Neyra could see.


    Further to the North stood the walls of the main estate grounds, the gates blown open wide. Past their threshold, even more smoke rose into the sky, obscuring her view of the once stately home that Elwin spoke so highly of.


    Valdora had his spyglass in hand, and was urgently scanning the terrain while Elwin cursed and slammed her fists into the cold, hard ground. Her breath puffed in front of her as she fought to control herself.


    ¡°They got here first.¡± Kaida said, kneeling down at Elwin¡¯s side.


    She placed a reassuring hand on her back, and Elwin flinched away with a snarl. Zarl was speaking to the Captain in hushed tones, sparing worried glances for the state of his squad mate. Neyra strained her ears to hear. She caught only pieces. Whatever else he found while scouting wasn¡¯t good. Not good at all.


    ¡°We leave the wagon here. I want our approach to go unnoticed. Neyra!¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need some cover,¡±


    Neyra took a breath and nodded. She placed a hand on Elle¡¯s shoulder, urging her aside so she could stand on the center seat of the Howdah. With her head above Arv¡¯s, she now had a full view of the destruction that laid before them. Slowly, she raised both her arms, one palm to the sky, the other to the earth. She began her chant, the arcane words rolling off of her tongue in a melodic whisper. With practiced grace, she moved her fingers and hands, performing the somatic component with precision. She felt the buzz of arcane energy leave her fingertips, following the path that she commanded. Everyone was looking at her. She could feel it. And she tried not to be nervous as she waited.


    At first, there was nothing. But then, the small tendrils of smoke that dotted the ground grew, their wispy fingers reaching out to grasp at each other. They stretched and merged and danced in the air until the entire approach to the estate was nothing but a dense wall of smoke clear up to where they stood. Valdora reached out and touched it with a reverent hand.


    ¡°Well done, Ney!¡± Elivera whispered in awe.


    ¡°I want staggered column formation. Arv, you take the lead with the Howdah. Neyra, can you part the air in front of us as we move?¡±


    Neyra nodded slowly, and she refocused her efforts to mold the spell. Valdora reached out again, and this time, the smoke parted in his wake.


    ¡°Excellent. Now let¡¯s move. I want all flanks covered. You know the drill.¡±


    The group crept down the valley in near silence. An impressive feat, considering the fact that they had a fully armored Hilda with them. The air grew warmer as they descended. They took their time, pausing occasionally to examine the bodies that they came across. As they made their way closer to the gates, those bodies included more humans than livestock. Their throats were ripped out and their spilled blood pooled in the tracks of wolves that covered the ground nearby.


    Neyra¡¯s ears pricked as she heard the sounds of guttural voices from up ahead. Elle must have heard it too, because she raised her hand in the signal to halt. Neyra closed her eyes and focused with as much might as she dared allow. The spell still needed to be held.


    ¡°Orcish¡­¡± she muttered, voice but a whisper. She was still trying to listen. ¡°They¡¯re talking about the smoke. Captain, we have only moments before they come this way.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not give them the chance. On my mark, we attack.¡± Valdora flashed the signal down the line and readied his spear. And then they charged.


    Arv roared as he ran, breaking through the barrier of conjured smoke. Neyra released her spell, willing the smoke to return to its own devices. She had other matters to attend to now. Eight armored figures came into view as her little brother rushed forward. They were caught by surprise, some of them with their weapons still undrawn. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Arv stowed his trident in favor of his harpoons, and he hefted one in his throwing arm. With a great heave, he threw the barbed weapon at the enemy. It sailed through the air, rope trailing behind it like the tail of a deadly kite, and it landed with a solid thunk in the thigh of the closest orc. Immediately, Arv grabbed hold of the rope and gave it a sharp yank. The beast amazingly held his ground despite Arv¡¯s efforts to pull his leg out from under him. The armored foe roared out in orcish, the words indecipherable even to Neyra¡¯s ears. She supposed the fellow had nothing intelligible to say. She certainly wouldn¡¯t if she had Arv¡¯s harpoon sticking out of her leg.


    ¡°Hold it tight, Arv!¡± Elivera said from beside Neyra. And Neyra watched in horror as her little sister scurried up and out of the Howdah.


    ¡°What in the hells are you doin¡¯?!¡± Neyra asked, her voice drowned out by the sounds of their companions. They were in the grisly process of dealing with the other seven soldiers.


    Riza had one pinned on the ground with her spear. Her frills were bristling with fury as she hissed down at the enemy. And with a mighty roar, Cretin came charging over and slammed his mace down onto its head. It split like a rotten melon despite the black helm.


    Hilda had hacked off the leg of one creature right at the knee with one great swing of her axe, and she bashed the rest of its body with her shield.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a plan!¡± Elle said, and Neyra was a bit appalled at the frenzied eagerness on her sister¡¯s face. Ensign Elivera drew her sword, and with a frenzied cry, she leapt off of Arv and onto the tightrope that connected them to the harpooned shadow soldier.


    ¡°HEY!¡± Arv shouted, ¡°THAT¡¯S YOUR PLAN?!¡±


    ¡°And you all call me the crazy one!¡± Shamil yelled out as she readied her crossbow.


    Neyra knew very well that Elivera was the most dexterous of the Tallfellow children, but this was just ridiculous. She was an acrobat of death as she made the crossing in three swift strides, without so much as a wobble in the rope. Her auburn brown hair whipped from its tails behind her as she ran, and her face was a mask of grim determination. She snarled and slashed her blade at the neck of the beast. Her attack was quick, and she spent no more time on her precarious perch; opting instead to tumble through the air and land in a graceful stance behind the foe. And it was in that moment that Neyra realized just how skilled her little sister had become in their years away from home. She was quite worthy of her rank, indeed.


    Elwin screamed out with a fury that Neyra had never heard from her. The sound pierced her down to the bone, and it drew her head around to watch her squad mate. Neyra knew that pain. For Elwin Nero, this war had just become deeply personal. Tears streamed out of Elwin¡¯s almond eyes and down her cheeks. Her face, a face that was usually the very picture of composure, was now contorted into a mask of pure rage and raw grief. She swung her sword, connecting with the neck of a soldier. The blade tore through flesh like a hot knife through butter, and the armored head went sailing through the air.


    A loud twang rang out from Neyra¡¯s side as Shamil took a shot at the soldier locked into combat with Kaida. The enemy squad finally had their bearings, it would seem. Hilda took hits from another enemy, and Riza and Cretin were rushing to assist. Arv switched back to his trident and was sizing up the rest of the battlefield.


    The orc with the harpoon in his leg was bloodied, but still alive. He snarled as he got to his feet, and he turned directly at Elle.


    ¡°Elle! Behind you!¡± Bellowed Arv as he lunged forward at the straggling soldier. Time slowed as Neyra locked eyes on her sister. Elivera was preparing to leap at the enemy who fought Valdora. She had no idea that her blow hadn¡¯t finished the one behind her.


    Neyra¡¯s mind was in a state of pure, absolute, and utter panic. Her well of arcane energy was small, and she knew they would face even greater threats before she restored it. That meant that her options were limited. Extremely limited. Her eyes scanned the body of the hurt soldier, looking for anything she could exploit.


    The belt of his scabbard was loose, and it drooped precariously around the creature¡¯s hips. One pull could bring it down his legs and possibly trip him up in his tracks. It would have to do.


    With an uttered word and a flick of her wrist, Neyra summoned a spectral hand. She willed it to rush forward to the orc that threatened her sister, and commanded it to pull down the belt. But she made a bit of a miscalculation.


    The orc yowled out in surprise and jumped into the air. He gained a surprising amount of height, considering how battered he was. And that was because while Neyra was going for his belt, the mage hand grabbed something¡­else instead. Something that when yanked with a good amount of force (enough force to say¡­pull a belt down?) would be quite painful. Not to mention incredibly startling.


    Elle whipped around in a flash at the sound of the agitated creature, and as he tried to flee, she plunged her sword into his back. Arv¡¯s trident was quick to follow and Neyra watched as her brother and sister made sure that the beast was well and truly dead.


    ¡°Did¡­did you just grab?¡± Began Shamil, from Neyra¡¯s side. Neyra¡¯s face burned, and she glared furiously at her best friend, who grinned with a bemused smile.


    ¡°NOPE.¡±


    ¡°Well, whatever ya did, it sure worked.¡± Arv wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to look at her. He had a similar smirk on his face. ¡°Just remind me to never EVER piss ya off, okay Ney?¡±


    Neyra huffed and reached her hand out to flick his big green ear. Arv did nothing but laugh and bat her tiny hand away. Curse the boy.


    With a final roar of fury, Valdora speared the neck of the last soldier, and soon they all stood panting among the bloody remains of their enemies. From start to finish, the battle had lasted mere moments, and Valdora nodded in approval as he took stock of the scene before them.


    ¡°Good work, team,¡± he turned and looked at Elle, who stood wiping the blood off of her sword, ¡°There¡¯ll be more. And they probably heard all that racket. We need to get inside the building.¡±


    Neyra leapt down out of the Howdah as the command team continued to confer about tactics. She scurried over to one of the bodies and pulled out her notebook. Her hands shook slightly as she reached out to move the armor aside. The body was still sweaty and warm and it stank of gore.


    ¡°Here, little miss. Let me help with that,¡± came the soft, hissing voice of Riza. And Neyra nodded gratefully as she reached a scaly hand out to peel the rest of the black armor off of the corpse.


    ¡°Could you turn him over on his front, please?¡±


    Riza nodded and flipped the body over nearly effortlessly. Neyra often forgot just how strong the Lizardfolk woman was. She was working quickly to get the armor completely off of the torso, handing the pieces to Cretin, who stood waiting.


    And there it was, the brand. It burned into her eyes as she hurriedly sketched out the details. She flipped the pages of the book, checking and checking again. Exactly the same. At least that much was confirmed for her now. She placed her fingers on the scarred tissue, tracing the rough texture. Nothing else stood out to her, which infuriated Neyra to no end.


    Not too far away from where she crouched, the team still debated the way forward.


    ¡°We could be walking into anything, with no way out, Captain! Let me check out the place first, at least¨C¡± Zarl hissed at Valdora, keeping his voice low.


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of the risk, Zarl. And I understand we need intel. But I¡¯m not sending my only scout in alone. Now as for who to send with you¡­¡±


    Neyra continued to study the body, and Riza kept removing armor pieces as the leadership talked. Cretin took each piece from Riza and studied them one by one for any damage. Neyra¡¯s heart sank as they finally peeled off the creature''s helm. It was indeed an orc. His green skin lacked warmth, and his tusks were yellow and chipped. He had matted black hair and scars that stretched from chin to cheek. But beneath all of that, Neyra couldn¡¯t see the monster anymore. She could only see her brother.


    She shook her head and spared a glance for Arv. Her mother¡¯s words echoed in her head, The world might try to make him into something he¡¯s not¡­don¡¯t let it. Neyra forced a grin as Arv met her eyes. He smiled at her and her heart felt lighter for it. No. The only thing this orc had in common with Arv was his height.


    Suddenly, Neyra¡¯s eyes opened wide, and she leapt to her feet. Riza and Cretin gave her curious looks as she snatched the helmet from the armor pile and ran up to the Captain. She had an idea.

 Reconnaissance

    Chapter 8


    Reconnaissance


    ¡°So remind me again how this is any better than all of us just sneakin¡¯ in?¡± Arv muttered from behind his ¡®new¡¯ helm. It stank horribly, and he didn¡¯t like the way it cut off his peripherals. The tattered winter cloak on his back wiggled and Neyra¡¯s head peeked out of the fabric ever so slightly. She was clinging to his back with nothing but some belts and straps to hold on to. Just like the good old days, he supposed. She whispered in a voice so soft he had to strain to hear it,


    ¡°They¡¯re the only ones sneaking in. You need to walk in like you own the place. We go in first, Zarl¡¯s following just behind to keep an eye on us, and the rest will follow him. And this way, even if we get caught, we stand a chance of gathering information before it all goes to shit.¡± Neyra¡¯s grip on him tightened as he stepped over the threshold into the Estate¡¯s courtyard. They were through the wall.


    ¡°If you say so, sis. Wearing this filth had better be worth it.¡± Arv grunted. He swore that there was more than just stink radiating off of the soot black armor he wore. It was pure evil, and he couldn¡¯t get out of it soon enough. He shook his head and gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Just be ready with that lil'' spell o¡¯ yours, okay?¡±


    Arv heard Neyra give an affirmative little grunt as she tucked herself back into her hiding spot on his back. It felt strange having just one of the little ones back there. And after more than a week of wearing the Howdah, he felt naked without it. He furrowed his brows and hoped that Cretin wasn¡¯t stretching the straps out while he carried it for him! He also hoped that Neyra really could do what she said.


    He was being silly. Of course she could do it. But would they buy it? What if they asked him to take off his helmet when he spoke? Fat lotta good a ¡®ghostly sound¡¯ would do them then. He cursed himself for not knowin¡¯ enough orcish. Maybe Neyra could teach him? In any case, her speaking it with that spell of hers would have to be good enough. But if it wasn¡¯t, Arv would have to cast his own kinda spell. It was the kinda spell that involved guts at the end of his trident.


    He made his way briskly through the courtyard, and he tried his best to walk as if he had places to be. The cold air was hazy with all the smoke, and he was thankful that Elwin had given them some basic instructions,


    Once you¡¯re past the gate, head north until you come to the main building. Turn left at the main doors and hug the wall for about a hundred paces until you reach a set of double doors. That¡¯s the kitchens. Start there and we can make use of the servants'' corridors.


    Thankfully, Elwin had an excellent memory. And soon they stood in what was once surely an impressive kitchen. It had been completely ransacked, enough so that it was hard to even see the floors beneath his feet.


    ¡°See anything interesting?¡± Neyra asked from behind his back.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Arv frowned as he picked his way through the room. There was no blood to be found, only upturned crates and split barrels. He scanned the walls for anything of note, and paused when his eyes fell on a small door. ¡°Wait, I think there¡¯s something here.¡±


    He gingerly stepped towards the door, taking care not to send anything else clattering to the ground. It was unassuming, and almost too small for him to even fit through. Arv gave it a gentle push, and it swung inwards with a quiet creak. There was a small set of winding stairs that led up into darkness. He felt Neyra peek her head out again,


    ¡°Must be the cook¡¯s quarters,¡± she whispered as he stepped forward.


    Arv tightened his grip on his trident.


    ¡°Let¡¯s check it out. The others will be here soon.¡±


    Arv climbed, taking care to not squish his sister against the wall in the tight quarters. Soon, they reached a small landing and passed through one more door and into a room.


    The scent of carnage assaulted Arv¡¯s nose as he ducked inside. He helped Neyra down from his back and the two of them searched. On the bed was the body of a man he assumed to be the cook. His chest was caved in, and his blood saturated the mattress below him. A woman lay nearby, her body slumped against the wall, her right arm severed at the shoulder. Arv watched Neyra approach each of the bodies and he was worried she might get sick. But all she did was place a gentle hand on each?. With a soft touch, she closed their lifeless eyes.


    It was just then that Arv¡¯s ears twitched. Was that a¡­sneeze? He whipped his head around the room as Neyra did the same.


    ¡°You heard that too?¡± She asked.


    Her long ponytail swished behind her back as she continued to look around. Arv nodded and tiptoed towards the source of the sound.


    There it was again! And this time he thought he caught where it was coming from. There was another door at the back wall of the room, and he woulda bet most anythin¡¯ that it was the water closet. Arv crept forward, and as he did, he reached his hand down to his side, pushing his sister behind him with a big, green hand.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°Shhh!¡± He whispered, giving his sister a warning look. She huffed up at him and gave him one of those classic Neyra glares in return.


    ¡°I¡¯m not completely helpless, you know.¡± She muttered. And soon Arv felt a slight buzzing of energy in the air. He looked down to see fuscia colored light glowing on her fingertips. Her hands hummed with an energy just waiting to be released. Arv just grunted at her and held his fingers up. He mouthed the words, three, two, one, and then he threw the door open.


    He sprang forward, trident in hand, ready to impale anything he found lurking within. But there was nothing. Neyra took a tentative step into the closet, her magically charged hand held up behind her head in anticipation of danger. Her head turned from side to side as she studied the tiny room. There was nothing but a small bench with a hole and lid. Arv watched his sister take a deep, bracing breath. And then she opened the lid. He leaned forward as she did so, craning his neck to peer down into the darkness. What he saw nearly made him jump out of his skin.


    Two small, tear-filled eyes were staring back up at him.


    ¡°Gods above! Arv, quick!¡± Neyra scurried out of the way to let Arv squeeze into the tiny closet. He reached his hand down slowly, and the child flinched away in fear. With a start, he remembered what he was wearing. He cursed to himself and ripped the hellish helm off of his head.


    ¡°Shhhh shhhh, it¡¯s okay-it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not one of them. I¡¯m not gonna hurt ya.¡± He couldn¡¯t do anything about the face he was born with, or the armor that he wore, but he tried his very best to make his voice soft and calm, ¡°I¡¯m just gonna get you outta there, okay?¡±


    Perhaps it was the way he spoke Common with a halfling accent, or how he gently smiled, but the little one finally relaxed a bit and nodded. Arv reached down and plucked the child up by the back of their shirt.


    The poor thing was shivering and covered with shit and grime from head to toe. Arv gingerly set the child on the ground in front of Neyra. His sister hurriedly chanted some of those funny words of hers, and in a flash, all the filth transfigured to smoke and drifted off of the tiny child. Now it was much easier to tell that the figure who stood trembling before them was a little human girl of no more than six or seven years. Her hair was pale blonde and hung in small ringlets that framed her round face. She wore a well crafted, albeit simple, dress and apron. She looked at Neyra curiously, head tilted slightly to one side. Arv figured perhaps the little lass had never seen a halfling before¡­or magic, for that matter.


    She took a tiny step back as Arv bent down on one knee. The little one was ¡®bout the same size as Neyra, maybe even taller!


    ¡°Shhhh, shhhh¡­¡± Neyra whispered soothingly, her hands up, ¡°I¨CI¡¯m sorry, I should have warned you. But we needed to get all of that off of ya.¡± She put her hand on Arv¡¯s arm and continued to speak to the little girl slowly and deliberately, ¡°This is Arv, and I¡¯m Neyra. What¡¯s your name?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Arv held his breath as the little girl¡¯s pale eyes flicked back and forth between him and Neyra. The poor thing was terrified. But eventually she spoke,


    ¡°M-m-Maren¡­¡± she squeaked. Then she cringed in fear as the sounds of voices and footsteps suddenly drifted into the room.


    ¡°Arv? Neyra? You up here?¡±


    Just then, Shamil peeked her head into the room. Her eyebrows raised when she saw them crammed in the tiny closet. ¡°Umm¡­Find anything interesting in the privy there?¡±


    ¡°You could say that,¡± Arv said as he squeezed out of the closet door and back out into the main room. That left Shamil with a clear view of little Maren.


    ¡°Bloody hells!¡±


    ¡°What?! What is it, Shamil?¡± Elivera¡¯s worried voice grew louder as she ran further up the stairs and into the room, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Elle looked frazzled as she took in her surroundings. Her eyes widened at the bodies and grew even wider still when she saw the child,


    ¡°Oh, Gods!¡±


    Arv glanced over and noticed that Maren must have decided Neyra was the least threatening out of all of them. She clung tightly to his big sister with both of her hands. She whimpered softly as Neyra shot a glare at Shamil and Elle.


    ¡°Shh! You¡¯re scaring her!¡± Neyra turned around and smiled softly at Maren. ¡°That¡¯s Elivera, and that¡¯s Shamil. We''re here to help you, okay? Now, can you walk? Or would you like Arv to carry you? We have a healer downstairs who can help you if you¡¯re hurt¡­.¡±


    Neyra was interrupted by the sound of clattering footsteps coming from the doorway. And soon Elwin rushed inside.


    Her eyes were wide and frantic as she looked around the room. Arv felt a lurch of pity in his stomach as he laid his gaze on her. He remembered all too well how it felt to be in her shoes. She must have known these people.


    ¡°Elwin!!¡± little Maren shrieked, and she ran out from behind Neyra.


    ¡°Maren?!¡± Elwin exclaimed as the girl crashed into her. She caught her instinctively, wrapping her arms gently around her. The girl nuzzled her face into Elwin¡¯s shoulder and sobbed uncontrollably into her cloak. Elwin looked completely dumbstruck, but Arv saw the relief that crept into her face as she smiled.


    ¡°Shhh¡­shhhh¡­. it''s okay, dear. I¡¯ve got you. I¡¯ve got you. You¡¯re safe now.¡± Elwin turned to Arv and Neyra as she continued to stroke the child¡¯s hair, ¡°Where¨Cwhere did you find her?¡±


    ¡°The closet there, we found her just after findin¡­¡± Arv trailed off as he looked toward the bodies; Maren¡¯s parents, no doubt. Elwin¡¯s face contorted in grief as she followed his gaze. Then her eyes narrowed in fury.


    ¡°She can¡¯t stay here.¡± Elwin said. And she turned on her heel and marched down the stairs, the weeping child still held tight in her arms.


    ***


    ¡°They attacked at dawn. Wolves. Fire. Black armored monsters. Her parents tried to barricade the door, but it didn¡¯t hold long. Her¡­her mother hid her before rushing back out to help.¡± Elwin¡¯s voice was strained as she recounted what she learned from Maren. Shamil felt her chest tighten as Elwin spoke. It brought back flashes of memories, memories she intended to keep locked down tight. The poor child was sleeping in the back of the Howdah now, which sat on the floor while Arv got his harness back on.


    Cretin had mercifully carried it back to Arv in one piece. Shamil could tell the big guy was grateful to have it back. It was a minor miracle that they had no trouble crossing the courtyard. All that work to disguise Arv just felt like wasted energy to her now. But she wasn¡¯t about to go pointing that out.


    She exhaled softly as she walked back over to the Howdah with Neyra. They climbed up the sides to the top to check the straps again and as they did, they both glanced down at the now sleeping child. Was she torn from her father, too? Did her mother have to hold her back as he ran into certain death defending them?


    No. NO. Stop it. Don¡¯t feel. Just survive. Shamil had just turned back to her work when she felt Neyra¡¯s hand on her shoulder,


    ¡°I know. It hits deep for me, too.¡±


    For anyone else in the world, Shamil would¡¯ve snapped back with some sort of quip or witty insult. She would¡¯ve insisted she was fine, and that they didn¡¯t know what they were talkin¡¯ about. But this was Neyra.


    So instead Shamil gave herself a single moment to experience it, letting that grief out in one shuddering breath as she put her hand on Neyra¡¯s,


    ¡°Suppose she¡¯ll be okay?¡± She asked, her voice a hoarse whisper. She could feel a tear brimming at the corner of each eye, and she fought like hells to keep them from turning to more.


    ¡°She¡¯ll make it,¡± she said with a small shrug. ¡°Her injuries were minimal.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean, Neyra,¡±


    Neyra took a deep breath and dropped her voice even lower. She squeezed Shamil¡¯s hand with that gentle reassurance that she always seemed to have,


    ¡°That¡¯s up to her, I suppose¡­¡±


    Shamil just nodded. Of course it was. The girl would be fine. After all, Shamil went through the same thing, and she was fine. She was great. Shamil was totally okay. Never better.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got this. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she muttered, as she squeezed Neyra¡¯s hand back, ¡°And neither do you.¡± Shamil looked at Neyra and forced a grin. Feelings hour was over. It was time to get back to work. There was still vermin to kill. And from the looks of it, they were about to head out again.


    ¡°We keep her with us, for the time being, at least,¡± said Valdora, ¡°She can stay in the Howdah. I trust that¡¯s not a problem, Arv?¡±


    Arv answered by hoisting the straps back onto his shoulders and giving a crisp salute. Shamil knew he would¡¯ve carried twenty children if it was asked of him. And probably still would, even if nobody asked.


    ¡°Elwin spoke of the servants'' corridors, and Zarl has just informed me they are still intact in this portion of the manor. We will move through them as space allows, Elwin and Zarl leading. We need to make our way to the North Wing of the estate. Gods willing, if Lord Nero is still here, he¡¯ll be closer to the audience chamber that¡¯s located there.¡±


    The squad got in file, and Zarl and Elwin led them to a little doorway that was hidden behind the pantry. Shamil said a silent prayer of thanks that this Lord Nero fellow was so abundantly stupid rich that he could afford servants'' corridors that were big enough for her extra large, extra scaly, and extra hairy friends. She wasn¡¯t gonna creep around this place without them right next to her if she could help it.


    ¡°Mind your head, Miss Shamil,¡± Riza hissed softly at her, and she patted her buns of hair with a sly, sarcastic smile before ducking into the corridor ahead of them. Cheeky little lizard woman. She¡¯d have to get her back for that one later.


    Slowly, they began their descent into the bowels of Lord Nero¡¯s Manor. The small lamps that dotted the hallway were still lit, likely from the preparations for this morning¡¯s chores that were cut so horribly short. As if reading her mind, the child at her feet shuddered in her sleep. Shamil tensed up, fearing that she would wake.


    Thankfully, Neyra ducked to the bottom of the Howdah immediately, softly rubbing the girl¡¯s back. Elivera spared a glance down at the slight commotion and smiled. First at her sister and then at Shamil.


    Shamil saw the fierce determination in her eyes. And, not for the first time, she marveled at how Elle had grown. This wasn¡¯t the feisty little girl who always trailed along behind her and Ney all those years ago. No. This was a fearless warrior who stood ready to lead the charge into any conflict, no matter the cost. Shamil would never actually say it out loud to her face, but she was proud to serve under her command.


    At that moment, a signal came down the line. Rooms ahead. They were going to check them out on their way to the main servant hall. Shamil passed the message back to Hilda, Cretin, and Kaida, who stood at the rear of the line. They nodded up at her and Shamil saw how they tightened their grips on their weapons. She did the same as she peered up the formation and watched Zarl duck into the first room.


    It didn¡¯t take too long at all for him to come hurrying back into the corridor. He had his scarf pulled up and over that long, pointy nose of his. Shamil snickered. It was like a tent on his face. She couldn¡¯t tell what he was saying to Valdora with his mouth covered like that, but soon they were moving on again. She spared a glance for the partially open door as they crept past.


    It stank of stale smoke and charred flesh. The walls were blackened by the soot of a fire that had long since burned out. A heap of charred bodies blocked the door, their joints locked in a gruesome pantomime of their failed escape attempt.


    They walked even further and came to another stop. Shamil was surprised to hear the sounds of gags and heaving from up ahead. Elwin doubled over and wheezed as bile dripped out of her lips. Zarl had his head in his clawed hands and he looked as if he might faint. Even Valdora seemed a little green.


    Then, the stench finally made its way to the Howdah. Arv huffed and gagged as he clumsily tried to adjust his uniform collar to cover his nose. Shamil wrapped her cloak around her face and motioned for Elle and Neyra to do the same.


    ¡°Whatever¡¯s in that room, it¡¯s bad. We¡¯re not going in there. Just keep moving.¡± Elivera choked. Shamil narrowed her eyes and passed the message along.


    As they crept closer, the stench became completely unbearable. Shamil could finally see the reason, even if it was just a sliver from the still cracked open door. She was glad for the limited view.


    The room was strewn from ceiling to floor with innards and gore. It festered and dripped with congealed blood and rancid ichor. Neyra gagged and vomited off the side of the Howdah, followed closely by Elle. Shamil was pretty sure she could hear Arv hurling, too. And, while she would never admit it, a bit of bile rose in her own throat. She just had the decorum to swallow it back down.


    With some effort, they continued on, making their way further through the walls of Elwin¡¯s childhood home.


    ¡°We¡¯re close to those servants¡¯ quarters, looks like,¡± Arv muttered and rolled his shoulders, causing the Howdah to sway slightly. Shamil¡¯s fingers twitched around her crossbow as Valdora ushered them through the threshold and into a ¡®normal¡¯ hallway. It felt like luxury compared to the cramped walls and ceiling of the hidden corridors. And that was coming from her! She was only just over three feet tall. If she felt this relieved, she couldn¡¯t imagine what it must be like for Arv, Cretin, and Riza. Before she had any longer to consider all the benefits of her small stature, Elwin ran down the hall and threw herself at the latch of a heavy door.


    ¡°Locked!¡± She shoved at the door with a frustrated huff. ¡°Zarl! Where¡¯s that set of tools¡­¡±

 Survivors

    Chapter 9


    Survivors


    It took a bit of finesse, and a small amount of time, but the door to the servants¡¯ quarters finally clicked and Elwin hurriedly pushed it open. There was resistance, and the reason was immediately apparent once they finally made their way inside.


    Compared to the other rooms they had passed, it was downright pleasant! But, that being said, it was still a sight to behold.


    The room that served as a home for the estate¡¯s servants was of modest size. Curtained cots lined the walls, with sizable trunks at the end of each. There were no folks wealthy enough for servants in Piria, and Shamil had no other examples or information to draw from. But she supposed that these servants¡¯ quarters could have been considered quite nice. That is, before it had been completely ransacked to the hells and back.


    What was once order had been turned into complete, violent chaos. Cots were overturned and covered in feathers from ripped pillows. Dried blood spatters littered the blankets and walls. Trunks were overturned and split open, their contents recklessly littering the polished floor.


    The squad hurried into the room, and Shamil appreciated how Arv was careful with his footing. One big stumble could send them all tumbling out, including little Maren, who was still fast asleep.


    ¡°Eyes open, everyone. There could be more survivors.¡± Valdora said in that authoritative voice of his, and she couldn¡¯t help but listen. Damn the man. She leaned one elbow out of the Howdah, her grip still firmly on her weapon. Shamil focused hard on the shadows, squinting with all her might. If there was any moment, it was small enough that not even her gnomish dark vision revealed it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing,¡± she muttered to Elivera, who nodded in agreement,


    ¡°I swear I can hear something¡­but I-¡± Elle¡¯s face scrunched up and relaxed again, ¡°I can¡¯t quite make anything of it,¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s curious,¡±


    Both Shamil and Elle whipped their heads to Neyra, who was leaning precariously out of the Howdah. They followed her gaze to a portion of the room near the back. Arv walked them there.


    It looked like a common area to her, tucked behind the last row of cots. Splinters and bits of cushions marked the final resting places of two chairs. A modest sized bookshelf took most of the space on the wall between two windows. It took Shamil a moment to pinpoint what it was exactly that caught Neyra¡¯s interest.


    It was a bookshelf. And it stood apart in the sense that it was a strangely organized chaos. The books were no longer on the shelves, yes. But instead of laying on the floor in shreds like she had expected, Shamil saw instead that they sat on the ground in organized stacks, nary a dog-eared page to be found.


    The Howdah suddenly shifted.


    ¡°Ah! Neyra! Warn me next time,¡± Arv grumbled as the eldest Tallfellow slipped over the edge of the Howdah, ¡°This thing has delicate balance, ya know!¡±


    ¡°Of course I know. I built it. Now hush!¡± Neyra already had her notebook out as she approached the strange scene. Shamil gave Arv a reassuring pat on the head,


    ¡°You know better than to bother her when she¡¯s locked onto something like that, big guy.¡±


    Arv just snorted through his nostrils. Elle rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Yes, Ney. It¡¯s books. We know you like books.¡±


    Neyra didn¡¯t even bother to look up at her sister to retort. She was too busy writing.


    ¡°Well spotted, Ensign Tallfellow. Now, if you¡¯re done being a smartass, you¡¯ll note that these books have not been ransacked like the rest of this room. They¡¯ve been searched, and methodically, at that. Someone was after something here.¡±


    ¡°What would the shadow army want with books?¡± Shamil asked, brows furrowed.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know,¡± Neyra ran a finger of her free hand across the spine of one book, scribbling furiously as she did so, ¡°Nothing here stands out to me. And, if they found what they were looking for, they most likely took it with them. But I¡¯m cataloging all of this, anyway. Maybe these titles will lead me somewhere¡­¡± she trailed off a bit absentmindedly as she returned to Neyra-world. Shamil knew there was nothing that could reach her now. At least nothing besides an actual emergen¨C


    ¡°Jethro! Jethro!!¡± Elwin screamed in horror. Shamil¡¯s face flashed to where Elwin now crouched, yelling frantically underneath a cot. Arv hurried forward to help, but Cretin got there first. He rushed to Elwin¡¯s side and heaved the cot away with one hand, unveiling the person underneath.


    He was a human man of some age. Shamil didn¡¯t know how many. He was old, that much was apparent. And he was wounded. Blood covered his face, dry at the edges, and still wet near the deep wound on his head. Elwin was frantic as she shook him by the shoulders, still calling his name. Kaida and Valdora clambered over the mess to get to the scene, Valdora moving to hold Elwin back and Kaida readying her medical equipment.


    ¡°Elwin, ELWIN! You¡¯ll only hurt him more.¡±


    Valdora put firm hands on her trembling shoulders. She was crying. Shamil had never seen the woman cry, or show much of any emotion, actually. It was almost unsettling. This man must have meant something to her.


    Kaida got to work with her salves and bandages. After a cursory examination, she focused on the head wound. It apparently was the most pressing of his injuries. Shamil didn¡¯t know much about healin¡¯ people. Only shooting them. Was that a bad thing? It felt like a bad thing.


    ¡°Captain,¡± Cretin¡¯s deep voice rumbled from the doorway. His eyes were closed and his big, pointy ears were twitching as he slowly moved to closer the door, ¡°Footsteps. Armor. Orcish speak. Just minutes away.¡±


    Valdora urgently got to his feet and signaled for silence. Neyra finally hopped back into the Howdah next to Elle and hurriedly pocketed her notebook.


    ¡°It would seem that we¡¯ve finally run into trouble,¡± Elle muttered.


    ¡°Kaida, we¡¯ll have to move him. Is he stable?¡± Valdora turned to his lieutenant as she finished the last winding of the bandage on Jethro¡¯s head.


    ¡°Stable enough. Riza! Help me here.¡±


    Riza¡¯s long legs carried her effortlessly over the mess and chaos to Kaida¡¯s side and she scooped him tenderly into her scaled arms. Her tail swished nervously as she sniffed at the air.


    ¡°Elwin!¡± Valdora said. ¡°We need a way out of here, or else we¡¯re going to have a fight on our hands.¡±


    Elwin shook her head as if to remove herself from a daze.


    ¡°Right-right¡­there¡¯s an access tunnel here. I just need to remember¡­¡± she leapt to her feet and felt along the walls, ¡°Aha! Here. Quickly! And someone bolt that door!¡±


    Shamil held on tight as Arv rushed over without further instruction. He picked up and slid the beam into the brackets as quietly as he could. Then he hurried to the back of the line that filed into yet another servants¡¯ tunnel. Valdora brought up the rear, taking care to place the panel back both precisely and quietly. He then signaled up the line for them to move, and move quickly. Shamil could hear the sounds of guttural voices from behind the secret panel. Moving quickly was a good idea.


    What Shamil thought was a tunnel actually turned out to be a staircase that wound its way down underneath the ground level and into the basement. The steps were wide, and the way was lit by several oil lamps. The air was even colder down here and she shivered despite herself as they hurriedly made the descent. Valdora brushed past them as he hurried to the front of the line again. They had reached the bottom, and Zarl had his ear pressed against a heavy door.


    His eyebrows rose, and then his face fell as he muttered,


    ¡°Goblins¡­sir there¡¯s at least a dozen in there. They¡¯re talking about what to do with the living ones.¡±


    ¡°Then we attack. Those survivors need us. Kaida, you take Maren and Jethro and protect them here. The rest of you, on my signal.¡±


    The squad quickly formed up. Riza held her other arm out for little Maren, and the Tallfellow sisters worked together to get the child out of the Howdah and into Riza¡¯s embrace. The two survivors were placed on the ground behind Kaida, who stood firm. Shamil knew Kaida would die before letting anyone touch them.


    Shamil inhaled deeply through her nostrils. Her grip tightened on her crossbow and she fondly ran a finger across the fletching of her loaded bolt. Get ready to hurt, you bastards.


    Cretin led the charge with a roar, bursting through the door at Valdora¡¯s command. His mace caught the flickering light of candles and lamps as he roared out in his native tongue. He was followed closely by Hilda and Arv, finally allowing Shamil the line of sight she needed.


    They were in what appeared to be a dining room. A full dozen black armored goblins had their spears trained on a group of human servants who stood huddled in a corner. The frightened servants yelled out in terror as Cretin¡¯s mace smashed through the first goblin, spraying them with drops of blood and splinters of bone. Shamil trained her sights on the one furthest from them as he moved to repel their charge. She sought the cold, dark void of focus, and everything around her went silent and still. Nothing existed but her, her weapon, and the beating heart of her target. She waited one heartbeat¨Cand then pulled the trigger.


    ***


    Neyra watched as a goblin took a bolt to the chest. It sank deep into the gaps of his armor, and it was followed up by an arrow from Zarl. The goblin staggered backward, his chest a gruesome pincushion. Elivera yelled out and ducked as a spear came sailing through the air, narrowly missing her head. With a growl, she swung her legs out over the side of the howdah and landed on the large dining table. Neyra¡¯s heart thundered in her ears as she watched her sister charge at an enemy. There were sounds coming from everywhere at once, and she trembled as she tried to focus.


    She forced her mind to relax, allowing the arcane energy to flow through her veins and coalesce into a bolt of fire. With a flick of her wrist, she cast the bolt toward another goblin. It sailed through the air with a hiss, striking a goblin in the face with enough force to send him stumbling backward. He regained his feet with a vicious snarl and reached a clawed hand up to tear off his helmet. He yelled out in a raspy, harsh language and pointed his spear with fervor. Neyra didn¡¯t need to speak Goblin to know that she was their next target.


    There was a sudden lurch in the Howdah as two other goblins joined the burnt one to rush Arv at once. Her brother roared as he bent to catch the blows with his shield. Neyra felt the force of them reverberate all the way up from the shield, into his arm, and up to the Howdah. She found it amazing that creatures so small could hit so hard. Shamil screamed out in fury and loosed another bolt as a fourth goblin rushed in to aid his comrades.


    ¡°Arv! More incoming!¡± Neyra shouted, hastily preparing another spell. She spared a frantic glance around the room. The squad worked together to hold a line, keeping the enemy from advancing back into the corridor, where Kaida stood guard over Jethro and Maren.


    Valdora and Riza seemed to mirror each other''s spear forms as they fought a group of three enemies. Hilda, Elwin, and Cretin had another cluster of the vile soldiers backed into a corner. And where was Zarl? Everything was happening so fast. It was so hard to keep track of everyone. The other surviving servants still huddled in shock against the wall, their feet frozen in fear as Elivera leapt off the table and onto a soldier. Her sword plunged into his neck before the beast had the chance to finish flanking Arv.


    Two of the goblins who rushed her brother now backed away in retreat, another soldier yelling something at them in their native tongue. He seemed much more frantic this time, and bloody spittle flew from his mouth as he gave his commands. Neyra watched in horror as the goblins dropped their spears and reached behind their backs, drawing forth wicked shortbows. Neyra¡¯s mind raced, making it difficult to concentrate on her casting. This was nothing like her time with her master. And that had been tough enough! It was one thing to cast her spells in a modestly controlled environment. But even Irene¡¯s concentration exercises couldn¡¯t have ever prepared her for this. Battle-casting was pure chaos. It felt like she fought her very own battle just to keep her arcane energy flowing, and it was a battle that she had to fight all alone.


    ¡°Neyra! Get down! They¡¯re targeting you!¡±


    Zarl¡¯s voice was frantic as he landed with a thump on the table, his back to Elle as he drew another arrow. Ah, so there he was.


    ¡°Yeah, no shit!¡± Yelled Shamil as she ducked down with Neyra to load another bolt, ¡°If you throw a fireball at one of em that¡¯s bound to get their attention, and not in a good way,¡±


    The Howdah lurched again as Arv fought, and Neyra was nearly thrown out. She braced herself with a grunt, furiously fighting to keep her concentration.


    ¡°Actually, fireball is a completely diff¨C¡± Neyra began, without even knowing that she said the words out loud.


    ¡°Oi! Shut it, Neyra! Just be ready!¡± Arv spat as he hefted a harpoon in his hand. Neyra huffed in exasperation and watched from her blessed shelter on Arv¡¯s back as Shamil took another shot. She heard another voice cry out fiercely in Goblin. This time, she was nearly certain it was Zarl who spoke it.


    ¡°Nice shot, Zarl!¡± Shamil said with an approving nod, and before Neyra could get a look at the commotion, the Howdah jerked, nearly tipping completely sideways. Shamil and Neyra cursed ?as the world turned on its side. A goblin had snuck through and struck Arv on the knee, causing his sudden loss of balance. Neyra thanked the Gods that she hung on, but then there came the second blow.


    The concussive force was enough to send her tumbling out of the safety of the Howdah, and she noticed through her shock that a spear now stood sunk solidly in the wood where her head had just been. Neyra struck the ground with a thud, landing on her back. Her head was spinning, but there was no time to right herself. She was as good as dead down here. She needed to move. Frantically, she crawled to the shelter of the table. And she prayed that her escape would go unnoticed.


    ¡°Neyra! Arv, we lost Neyra!¡± Shamil shouted, and Neyra watched as she and Arv searched the room with frenzied eyes, trying to split their attention between the foes they fought and finding her sorry ass. Neyra felt despair bubble up in her tiny chest as she realized what their distraction could cost them. She was a liability here, not an asset. They were going to get themselves killed just to protect her. She knew it. She wasn¡¯t enough on her own. Just dead weight. Unable to protect herself or anyone else.


    Just then, a loud clattering bang echoed through the room as a door swung open. Three orcs came charging in, alerted from the noise, no doubt. Valdora rushed in to intercept, but two of them broke through to where her family now fought.


    ¡°LOOK OUT!¡± Neyra screamed in horror.


    Her warning was just enough to give Arv time to brace himself. And she breathed the softest sigh of relief as he met their attack head on. That relief faded as soon as she realized what she had just done. She clasped her hands to her mouth and shrank back as far as she could into the shadows, but it was too late. The goblin who ordered her death had already turned his head to face her. He snarled and prowled towards her hiding place. His face was a mask of fury and melted, charred flesh. The scimitar in his hands gleamed in the candlelight, the tip of it dragging against the stone floor with a vile grinding noise. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Neyra¡¯s heart pounded in her ears. This was it. She was going to die and there was nothing to be done about it. Neyra Tallfellow, dead by goblin, leaves her family devastated because she couldn¡¯t defend herself. Pathetic. She just hoped that it would be swift. But then she heard it.


    She turned her head as far as she dared, still keeping the advancing goblin in her sights. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Estate¡¯s servants. They still clustered together, several of them hanging on to each other with blood drenched hands. An older child looked straight at Neyra, and somehow his whimpers pierced through the din of battle just enough for her to hear.


    It was the briefest, softest sound in the world, but it changed everything. It lit a fire in her, a fire she didn¡¯t know she even had. That boy was everything. He was Arv. He was Elle. He was Shamil He was Maren. He was every single innocent soul that had been hurt by this vile scourge. This wasn¡¯t about her. It never was. And it was time to stop feeling sorry about herself and do something about it.


    Her eyes darkened, and she turned back to face the goblin in earnest. Her chest heaved and her knees shook, but she stood firm. She snarled as she opened her mind and soul to the weaves of arcane power around her. They rushed deep into her veins, filling her with an icy energy that coalesced into the palms of her hands.


    The battle still raged around her as the goblin charged, but to her there was only this moment. Just her and him.


    She didn¡¯t want this, she never did. But she did it anyway. Yes, she hated the shadow army. She hated it more than she ever hated anything else in her life. But she didn¡¯t fight because of that. She didn¡¯t fight because she hated those in front of her. She fought because she loved the people behind her. And Neyra Tallfellow would be damned before she let anything happen to the people behind her.


    Fuscia light glowed around her, brightening to blazing white at the tips of her slender fingers. The arcane words left her lips, commanding the energy to do as she willed it to. And with a snarl, she hurled it at the bastard. Three brilliant bolts of light lanced from her hand, and cut through the air with a shrieking whistle. She screamed in rage as they raced to their target, and the scent of burnt flesh filled her nostrils as they made contact.


    The bolts struck in quick succession against the base of the soldier¡¯s neck. They ripped through the tender skin, splitting his throat from ear to ear. His dying scream amounted to nothing more than a gurgle as he stumbled to a stop right at Neyra¡¯s feet. Then his body slumped forward, and he crashed into the ground.


    Neyra screamed, her voice raw, and hot tears trickled down her face. She didn¡¯t know why. The moment felt so strangely disconnected, like she didn¡¯t control herself. Her legs and arms moved of their own accord, and she yelled with a voice that wasn¡¯t hers. She was a spectator to her own life. The little halfling who now kicked and snarled at the corpse of the goblin was unrecognizable to her.


    ¡°Neyra¡­Neyra!¡±


    She blinked bleary eyes and shook her head. Reality came crashing back down around her. Elle was by her side, holding her shoulders with both hands. The sounds of battle were gone, and the stench of death hung low in the air.


    ¡°Neyra! Come back, it¡¯s alright.¡± Elivera clutched at her with intensity and pulled her into an embrace.


    ¡°I¡­I¨C¡± she choked, her throat tightening around a large lump that threatened to spill loose.


    ¡°Shhhh. I know. You did so well, Neyra.¡±


    ¡°I killed someone.¡± She finally whimpered, burying her face into her sister¡¯s shoulder. Her hands felt cold and clammy, and her stomach churned.


    ¡°Neyra! Elle!¡± Arv peeked his head under the table where they stood, his yellow eyes peered anxiously through the dim light,


    ¡°Get out from under there before I haul you out.¡± He grunted.


    Elivera sighed and loosened her squeeze on Neyra. And then she pulled away. Her sudden absence made Neyra shiver.


    Pull it together, Neyra. You¡¯re not out of this yet. Slowly, she shuffled her feet into motion and followed Elle out from under the table. Just put one foot in front of the other. She noticed absently that her boots were covered in blood. They squelched quietly with each step that she took into the light.


    Arv said nothing else as he knelt down in front of her. Neyra took a deep, shuddering breath and looked up at her brother. He stared at her with discerning eyes, his brows furrowed in concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± she managed. Her voice was hoarse and strained, and the words hurt coming out. Arv snorted at her comment, pulling her into a wordless embrace. She took a moment to bury her face in Arv¡¯s tabard. He held her head against his chest with one hand, gently patting her ponytail. They just stood there for a moment, and Neyra tried not to pay any mind to the bustle of the squad around them. Finally Arv spoke.


    ¡°Whatever you say, sis. Whatever you say,¡±


    ¡°Just hang on next time!¡± Shamil¡¯s voice piped in. Neyra pulled back from Arv and looked at Shamil with exasperation. But, despite herself, she smiled. Something about hearing their voices and feeling their support made her come back to herself again. Shamil gave her an affectionate punch on the arm.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay, Ney. See? You can get it done when ya need to!¡±


    Shamil crouched down by the remains of Neyra¡¯s kill, prodding it approvingly with a bolt from her quiver,


    ¡°And it looks like you weren¡¯t kidding ¡®bout those missiles of yours.¡±


    Arv looked down at Neyra and gave her a gentle smile. She forced herself to smile back. I can do this¡­I can do this.


    ***


    Elle bowed her head solemnly as she took a step back, leaving her sister in their brother¡¯s capable hands. Neyra was going to be alright. She always was. The stubborn girl was stronger than she would ever accept credit for. She just needed to trust herself.


    Elivera walked away determinedly, her eyes seeking Valdora. They needed to figure out their next steps, and fast. Cretin and Riza were busy piling up the goblin and orc corpses in the corner of the dining room, stripping them down to look for anything of use. Elwin and Kaida were at the end of the room with the group of survivors. The ragtag group of humans slumped, stood, and crouched against the walls and broken furniture. A few of them were helping Kaida lower Jethro onto a makeshift litter. Maren was cradled in the arms of an older woman, who looked relieved to see her.


    Valdora was busy speaking to a survivor, and when she met his eyes, he waved her over. Elle quickened her pace to meet him.


    ¡°Sir!¡± she said with a salute.


    ¡°Ensign Tallfellow.¡± He nodded, saluting back?. The man that he was talking to turned away to join his other fellow survivors. Valdora watched as he left, his face grim. ¡°He said that they were on their way to the servants¡¯ panic room when the goblins cut them off. It¡¯s just down the corridor, though they¡¯re scared to continue on their own.¡±


    ¡°Well, I certainly can¡¯t blame them, sir.¡±


    ¡°I agree. While I don¡¯t think it¡¯s likely that there are any more soldiers down here, we can¡¯t be too careful. We¡¯ll escort them to the panic room, and obviously, we¡¯ll be leaving Maren and Jethro in their care.¡±


    Elle nodded. It was quite fortunate that they found other survivors. Jethro was still unconscious, and Maren was just a child! They couldn¡¯t just leave them on their own, but bringing them along would have been risky too. Elle turned her head as she heard a sudden cry from Elwin. Valdora followed suit.


    Jethro sat up in his cot now, and he held Elwin gingerly in his arms. Tears of joy streamed down her face as the old man patted her back with soft hands. Kaida smiled at their side, keeping a close watch to make sure Elwin didn¡¯t squeeze him too tight. She wept his name over and over again.


    ¡°Gods above, you¡¯re actually alive, Jethro!!¡±


    ¡°Aye, lass. It¡¯ll take more than a crack to the head to finish me.¡± His voice was weak, but he seemed to have regained some color in his cheeks. Kaida must have used one of her potions on him. Elivera was surprised that she parted with one for the old man. They were in short supply, not to mention quite expensive. In fact, Elle recalled an army policy that prohibited their use on civilians. But Valdora seemed to neither notice nor care, so she wasn¡¯t about to bring it up. Valdora was now on his knee beside the man as Elwin continued to hold his hand.


    ¡°We need to know exactly what happened here. Tell us everything you can remember.¡±


    Jethro nodded slowly, rubbing his temples with gnarled fingers,


    ¡°They came with no warning, they did. Just at dawn. We were up long before then. Gods know that our work starts well before the sun rises. But we heard nothin¡¯, we saw nothin¡¯ until they were right on top of us. By all rights, it doesn¡¯t make any sense. The approach to this estate is completely open and full of livestock and farmers. I don¡¯t rightly know how they avoided bein¡¯ seen or heard by our guards. It¡¯s like they killed their way here in complete silence¡­¡± He rubbed his chin, pondering as he spoke, ¡°Our militia has been spread thin. Our Lord Nero¡¯s focused his men on protecting the roads and the iron mines. That¡¯s why there are so few soldiers of our own here, sir. He didn¡¯t see much need in committing men to his own home. That¡¯s why there weren¡¯t as many sentries as usual. But surely even one guard could have seen them coming. It ain¡¯t natural, sir.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, nothing about this scourge seems natural.¡± Valdora muttered, his face dark, ¡°Where are the rest of the soldiers now?¡±


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t see much of what happened outside, sir. But I saw the guards rush out once the main building was attacked. They were aimin¡¯ to lead the rest of the shadow beasts away to buy more time for our Lord to escape. I reckon the rest are still with Lord Nero,¡±


    ¡°And where is he? What¡¯s the protocol for when something like this happens?¡±


    ¡°Well, it''s never happened before, sir! And I¡¯m not the one privy to that kind of information. But I suppose the plan was always to barricade the audience chamber. There are tunnels and caves running everywhere underneath this estate. If all defenses failed there, they would have sent him out in one of those.¡±


    He squeezed Elwin¡¯s hand and looked at her before continuing on.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Elwin. But I really don¡¯t know what happened to your father.¡±


    Her face contorted into a grimace,


    ¡°If there¡¯s one man who¡¯s harder to kill than you, Jethro, it¡¯s my father. The man¡¯s stubborn as a mule and twice as ornery. He¡¯s alive. I know it.¡±


    She turned to look at Valdora. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not too much further. But we need to get back upstairs. The basement doesn¡¯t extend to that part of the estate.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one last thing you should know, sir.¡± Jethro said, his gravelly voice gaining more strength by the second. ¡°There were orcs and goblins, yes. But there was something else. Some other creature led these beasts. There were at least six of them. Tall with red skin and long, blue noses. They carried flails and had glowing tattoos on their arms. Seen nothing like ¡®em before. None of us have.¡± he turned to the other survivors, who nodded their heads in agreement.


    ¡°Hobgoblins¡­¡±


    Elle started as she heard the gruff voice of Cretin right behind her. The rest of the squad had finished their work with the corpses, and they all now stood huddled just behind the Captain. She hadn¡¯t even noticed them arrive. Cretin continued,


    ¡°You could call them our cousins,¡± he grinned darkly as he patted Arv on the back while also pointing his mace at Zarl, ¡°They¡¯re something between an orc and a goblin, but not as big or as handsome as a bugbear such as myself,¡± he rubbed his beard and chuckled, even as Valdora gave him a cold, measured look. It could be hard to get Cretin to take things seriously?.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read about them,¡± Neyra said, her eyes distant. It looked as if she was reading some book that wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Cretin is right, they¡¯re not as big or as strong¡­but they are far more organized. And if what Jethro says is correct about the glowing tattoos? Well, it sounds like they could have arcane abilities on their side as well.¡±


    Valdora shook his head grimly as he spoke.


    ¡°They usually favor martial combat over drawing on any magic. Their culture looks down on it. What kind of power could have been offered to them for them to abandon that prejudice?¡±


    Elle felt her face pale as she considered the implications. And there were six of them? Their trouble was only beginning.


    ¡°Thank you, Master Jethro,¡± Elivera said with a respectful bow, ¡°We appreciate the information. Now rest. Your people need you.¡±


    The man looked from Elle to Valdora and back again before nodding and lying back down on his cot. Elwin bent down and gave him a small kiss on the forehead. Then he finally closed his eyes. The rest of the survivors looked up at the squad expectantly.


    Valdora sighed and stood up, wiping the blood from his spear. He spoke with a calm, measured voice,


    ¡°Come, we¡¯re getting you to that safe room. And then we¡¯re going to find your Lord.¡±


    The squad snuck back up the basement stairs some time later, the survivors safely secured in the panic room. It was mercifully untouched by the shadow soldiers, and they had enough supplies to keep safe for a day or two. Gods send they could get this place safe again long before then. Elivera felt nervous leaving them there, but it was by far the safest option.


    Elwin took the lead, ducking and weaving past the smashed furniture and torn tapestries that littered the hallways. She moved with speed and determination, obviously quite eager to reach her father. The best route to where they needed to go involved cutting through the grand dining hall. Elwin motioned for them to stop as they approached what was left of the doors. They were torn and splintered, with whole chunks of wood missing. The space was big enough to see into the room beyond.


    Elle¡¯s vision wasn¡¯t great, especially in dim light like this, but she could see movement. She cursed to herself as she noticed a faint glow coming from two of the figures ahead. Two of the hobgoblins. They had to be. Her grip tightened on her sword.


    ¡°What do ye say, Cap¡¯n? Dwarf rush?¡± Hilda hefted her axe in one hand, readying her shield in the other. Valdora looked down at her and slowly nodded with the tiniest of sighs. Elle could¡¯ve sworn she saw the man roll his eyes. Hilda grinned wickedly. It was her favorite battle formation, and she waited on bouncing feet as the rest of the squad made themselves ready.


    At Valdora¡¯s signal, she charged straight through the remains of the door, punching through the wooden shrapnel as easily as one would trample over a garden hedge. She roared out her battle cry. It was something in Dwarven, and Elivera had no clue what it meant. Whatever it was, it caught the attention of the enemies in the dining hall. A dozen armored figures stood clutching wicked weapons. The two hobgoblins stood near the other end of the room, and one of them shouted commands to their troops.


    Elivera had no time to notice anything else as they rushed in after Hilda. She sheathed her sword in favor of her bow, and she nocked an arrow as Arv burst into the room. Shamil got her shot out first, sending a bolt into the head of an armored goblin. He fell to the ground as his brethren trampled over him. Elle took a breath and loosed her arrow. It caught an orc in the shoulder, throwing him off balance as Cretin charged in with his mace.


    ¡°Get the commanders!¡± Valdora roared over the chaos of battle, ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape!¡±


    Elle heard the now-familiar whispered words from Neyra, and a ray of frost lanced from her hand and streaked towards the closest hobgoblin. It glanced off of his armor, leaving a latticework of frost across the black metal. Neyra cursed.


    Zarl shouted from atop a table nearby, and he sent an arrow sailing at the same hobgoblin. Elwin was also making a concentrated effort to reach the commanders, her sword cutting a path of carnage to get to them. Riza covered her back, finishing any stragglers with her spear as Elwin surged forward.


    Arv lunged with his trident as an orc tried to rush him. He roared as the weapon made contact, sinking into the beast¡¯s chest. The creature roared back as he swung his sword?. It made contact with Arv¡¯s armor at the leg, and he stumbled with a snarl. Elivera whipped her head around to check their flank and saw a goblin charging toward them. She raised her bow and sent an arrow straight between his eyes.


    ¡°Elle!¡± Neyra cried out as the Howdah lurched again. Elivera turned her head just in time to see her sister fall out of the Howdah yet again. She landed on the table in the center of the room with a loud thud. Damn. They really needed to put life lines in this thing.


    Shamil shouted and sent another bolt soaring through the air. Arv swung around to look for where Neyra had fallen, nearly sending Elle and Shamil tumbling out as well. There was a flash of green as a small figure came somersaulting through the air. She heard Zarl call out, and suddenly he was there at Neyra¡¯s side.


    ¡°Go after them! I¡¯ve got her.¡± He yelled, meeting Elle¡¯s eyes. He pulled an arrow to his cheek and stood over Neyra protectively as she struggled to get to her feet.


    ¡°Come on, Arv!¡± Elivera said, ¡°I need you to get us closer!¡±


    She heard the annoyance in his growl, but regardless, he ran. Killing shadow scum took precedence over threatening Zarl, especially if this was their chance to take out two of their leaders. Arv charged through the line, using his shield to bash black armored figures out of his way. Cretin and Hilda rushed in beside them.


    Somewhere behind them, she could hear the shouts of Valdora and Kaida, who followed in Elwin¡¯s path. Ahead, they saw the two Hobgoblins snarling at each other in their guttural language. They seemed to argue about something as Valdora¡¯s squad charged their way forward. The way was nearly clear. They had cut down all but a few of the common soldiers.


    ¡°Get the one on the left! We¡¯ll take the right.¡± Elwin snarled as she raised her sword in challenge. Their group rushed in to engage the larger of the two Hobgoblins.


    ¡°Cover me, lad!¡± Hilda roared as she ran forward, her axe reflected the glowing light of the Hobgoblin¡¯s tattoos. The two leaders had stopped their squabbling and stood prepared to meet their attack. Although the one that Hilda fought seemed to fight much more defensively. He was going to run. She just knew it. And they couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    Her mind clear, Elivera stowed her bow and took a deep breath. She put one foot on the edge of the Howdah and with a great heave she pushed with her legs, leaping out and into the air. She felt the cold air rush around her body as she sailed upward, tucking her legs and doing a small flip before landing gracefully on the floor. Her sword was drawn the moment her feet hit the stone. The commander glared at her and bared his yellow teeth with a vicious snarl. He held his flail to the side, his huge fingers flexing around the handle.


    Hilda came bellowing from his left, and he struck out with lightning speed. The pole cracked against her shield and Elle heard Hilda cry out as the spiked head flung around past her defenses and straight into her side. Elivera yelled in fury as she rushed to strike at the distracted commander. Cretin charged in after her and their strikes fell true at the same time. Hilda recovered her bearings and joined in the flurry of attacks that they laid on the bloodied Hobgoblin.


    He seemed to take their hits with unnatural ease, shrugging off strikes that would have crippled him otherwise. But that strength was slowly waning as he fought to drive them back. They continued, unrelenting, until at last the beast fell to the ground in a mangled heap, the gurgles of death still on his lips.


    ¡°WHERE IS HE?!¡± Elwin screamed from the other side of the battle. Her team had also brought down their foe, and she knelt on top of the body now, her sword at the creature''s throat. Still alive, it would seem.


    Elivera¡¯s chest heaved as she put her hands on her knees, trying to breathe through the exhaustion. Every foe that once stood in the room now lay dead or dying on the cold stone floor. Neyra still sat on the table, her hand to her head. She seemed alright, and Zarl gently helped her down to the floor as the others gathered around Elwin and the dying Hobgoblin.


    His body was mangled and torn, and the light from his tattoos was fading, but he still looked at Elwin with an intensity that struck fear into Elle¡¯s heart. He inhaled sharply and then spat directly into Elwin¡¯s face. With a furious snarl, Elwin slid her sword across the monster¡¯s throat in one swift slash, sending what remained of his blood spilling out into the cold air. The room was silent, save for the heavy breathing of her exhausted companions.


    ¡°We rest here for a moment,¡± Valdora finally said quietly, ¡°They were back here for a reason. I¡¯d like to know why.¡±

 Dark Magic

    Chapter 10


    Dark Magic


    Arv rolled his shoulders, stretching the muscles experimentally as he walked away from the Howdah chassis. He had grown quite accustomed to the weight, but Neyra still insisted he take breaks. Something about the risk of his joints ¡®bein¡¯ permanently damaged¡¯ if he wore it too much.


    He frowned slightly as he thought of Neyra. This was the second time she¡¯d been thrown out during battle. What was the point of the Howdah if she couldn¡¯t stay in it? Of course, Arv knew she was already working on a solution. She had to be. Flaws in her creations had a tendency to drive her to near madness. He frowned deeper as he remembered just what had happened after she fell.


    He scanned the room with his sharp eyes. Riza and Cretin were about their normal duty of looting the dead. Elwin was off scouting. Valdora, Kaida, and Elle were talking about important leadership mumbo jumbo or somethin¡¯ of the like. Shamil sat cross-legged on the floor, meticulously cleaning each part of her crossbow. That just left his sister and the little twerp who had a crush on her.


    And sure enough, there they were. Neyra was resting on a bench next to Zarl. They were speaking in hushed tones, and Arv was worried that she¡¯d been battle shocked again. However, his eyes widened in surprise as he heard her laugh.


    Arv¡¯s relief mixed awkwardly with his drive to keep the little goblin away from his sister. Could Zarl really be so bad if he got her to laugh after an experience like this? Yes¡­yes he could.


    ¡°Somethin¡¯ funny over here?¡± Arv approached with a strained smile on his face. Neyra smiled back and stood to give him a hug. Arv knelt down, and as soon as her face was in his chest, he turned his smile to a scowl, directing it towards Zarl with as much intensity as he could spare. The goblin paled slightly, but he made no move to leave. He even had the gall to glare back! Stubborn fool.


    ¡°How¡¯s your leg?¡± Neyra asked, pulling back from Arv, completely oblivious to the tension that she had just interrupted. Arv forced his face back into a grin.


    ¡°Eh, nothin¡¯ bad. I think I got worse from the lads in boot camp. It¡¯s gonna leave a nasty bruise though. How¡¯s your head? That looked like a right nasty fall.¡±


    Arv cringed as he looked down at his sister. Her cheeks turned pink as she stammered,


    ¡°It- it looked worse than it actually was. The scariest thing about falling out is just being exposed like that. But I was lucky to have Zarl there to cover me.¡± She smiled and gently put her hand on Zarl¡¯s arm, ¡°Thank you, Zarl.¡±


    ¡°Any time,¡± he said with a genuine, sharp-toothed smile as he basked in Neyra¡¯s praise. Arv could tell that his presence was all that kept the little man from saying more to her. What exactly would he have tried if Arv wasn''t there to look after her?!


    ¡°Specialist Neyra!¡±


    The shout from Valdora broke Arv¡¯s train of thought. He walked over to the three of them with brisk urgency in his step. Neyra yelped and scrambled into a clumsy salute.


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re needed. You and Arv, come with me. And hurry.¡± He turned and began jogging away without even awaiting a response. Neyra¡¯s eyes widened, and she quickly scrambled up onto Arv¡¯s back. Arv spared one more glare for Zarl, and then he hurried off after their captain.


    ¡°Is there trouble?¡± Neyra asked after a few heartbeats, her voice full of concern. They were no longer jogging, but Valdora still kept a brisk pace as they ducked into a hallway just off of the main dining hall. They approached a small staircase and Valdora led the climb.


    ¡°Not just trouble¡­¡± he said. They stopped at the first door of the landing. Arv didn¡¯t know what it was about the door, but he swore there was just something wrong. He noticed Valdora cringe as he reached his hand out to push it open.


    ¡°Magic,¡± he finished as he walked into the room.


    Arv had to cover his mouth to keep from retching at the scent. He heard Neyra gasp from behind his shoulder, and without warning she hopped down from off of his back. The smell didn¡¯t seem to bother her, and she already had her notebook in hand as she ran to the gruesome sight at the center of the room.


    Twelve pikes stood in a perfect circle at the room¡¯s center, somehow driven into the stone floor. Atop each pike was a head. Some were human, some orc, and one was even a goblin, but all were slack jawed and frozen in their last moments. Blood dripped down the wooden shafts and made puddles on the stone below. Those puddles seeped and merged into an unnatural pattern in the center of the circle. It looked like someone drew a line of blood from each pike to the pike exactly opposite of it.


    ¡°Touch nothing,¡± Neyra muttered as Arv and Valdora approached the circle.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t goin¡¯ to¡­¡± Arv muttered weakly as he stared into the glassy dead eyes of an orc''s head. He felt sick. He felt enraged. He felt terrified. Valdora came to stand next to him, his eyes also staring daggers into the dead orc¡¯s skull. Valdora looked as if he was ready to burn the whole place to the ground. He glared straight ahead and Arv swore he heard him growl.


    ¡°Can you feel it?¡± Neyra asked, her voice barely a whisper, ¡°The magic?¡± She looked up at Arv and Valdora ?with her big brown eyes. Questioning. Curious.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± he said, surprising himself. He could feel it. And if he tried hard enough, he could even see the reddish glow coming from each line painted in blood. The more he focused, the brighter the glow became. Eventually, it appeared so bright that the rest of the room seemed dark in comparison. A sickly heat radiated off of the circle, and it made beads of sweat appear on Arv¡¯s exposed flesh.


    ¡°What is it?¡± He choked. He felt as if he could taste blood in the very air he breathed. Neyra slowly stood back up, pocketing her notebook reverently. She crossed her arms and continued to stare at the circle.


    ¡°Necrotic magic,¡± she spat, her face twisted in a disgusted snarl.


    ¡°Any insight about what it does, Specialist?¡± Valdora asked, his voice as cold as ice. He continued to stare at the severed head.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t my area of expertise,¡± Neyra said, ¡°It could be any number of things. The pattern seen here can sometimes be indicative of a summoning spell. Or it could simply be a well of power, possibly fueling those glowing tattoos we saw earlier. I¡¯ve even read about such circles being drawn to contain creatures. To cage Lord Nero upon his capture, perhaps?¡± She shook her head. ¡°But sir, those are just vague extrapolations. I really wish I could tell you otherwise, but I honestly have no idea of what they were doing with this necrotic filth. The only course of action I see would be to disrupt the spell. Whatever it¡¯s doing¡­it certainly can¡¯t be good.¡±


    Valdora slowly nodded,


    ¡°Thank you, Neyra. I assume you took your notes and sketches?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Good. Arv?¡±


    He finally turned his head to look at them, his face still a dark mask of anger and disgust.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Cut it down,¡±


    Arv nodded curtly and pulled out one of his harpoons. The wooden pikes looked fragile and decayed by the blood and dark magic. Snapping one in half with a good swing would be easy enough. He raised his arm and looked at Valdora for one more confirmation. The man nodded, and Arv swung.


    At first, there was nothing. But then, all the room¡¯s air rushed into the middle of the circle at once.


    That was not good.


    ¡°Get down!!¡± Valdora roared as he ducked away.


    Time seemed to slow as Arv desperately lunged toward Neyra. The shadows in the room grew even darker around them. It was like he was moving through molasses to get to her, his body just not fast enough to outpace the wall of arcane power. The floor shook and hummed with unspent energy. If he could just reach her, then he could take the brunt of the impact for her. He could get there in time. He could¨C


    That energy snapped, releasing in a sudden, brilliant flash of red light. For one brief, yet eternal moment, Neyra¡¯s terrified eyes locked with his.


    Arv wasn¡¯t sure if he imagined it or not, but he swore that his fingers just barely brushed hers before the explosion hurtled her away from him, her mouth still open in a silent scream.


    Somewhere in the back of his mind, he registered the cracking of bones and the popping of joints as he hit the wall, but it was like it was happening to somebody else. He bounced off the hard stone and landed on the floor on all fours. Even as his head rang and his vision blurred, he kept his gaze desperately fixed on his sister.


    His ears popped as pressure returned to normal in the room. Bits of the decapitated heads lay strewn on the floor and plastered to the walls. He vaguely noticed Valdora stagger to his feet, a trickle of blood dripping from his mouth. His ears wouldn¡¯t stop their ringing, and he saw Valdora shout something.


    Arv shook his head and forced his body to move. Pain lanced from his spine to every limb in his body, but it didn¡¯t matter. Her tiny body laid crumpled on the other side of the room. He had to get to her.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Neyra! NEYRA!¡± he cried out. Valdora was already at her side, his face a mask of concern. Arv snarled and pushed himself to move even faster.


    As he ran, he watched Valdora gently roll her over. He was using both of his hands to wipe strands of hair from her face. It was freed from its tail in the explosion and it now laid in a tangled heap around her head. Parts of those auburn locks were already drenched with her blood. He was trying to find a pulse. But all Arv could see was someone between him and his sister.


    ¡°Get AWAY from her!¡± Arv roared in fury as he roughly shoved Valdora aside. He trembled uncontrollably as he cradled her small head in his huge hands.


    Blood leaked from her ears and nose. Her eyes were closed, her expression limp and blank. She was breathing, but only barely. Hurriedly, he scooped her up into his arms, cradling her tightly to his chest. He didn¡¯t know when the tears had started, but they now fell freely onto Neyra¡¯s ashen face, washing her blood away in tiny streams.


    ¡°No, no, no, NO! Neyra! Neyra, talk to me, please.¡±


    He sobbed through clenched teeth. Her breath was slowing, and her body grew more limp by the moment. This couldn¡¯t be happening. She couldn¡¯t be. No, no, no. Not Neyra. Not that.


    Valdora placed a hand on his shoulder and Arv had half a mind to bite it off. He growled furiously at the man, shielding Neyra from him, but Valdora held his ground.


    ¡°SOLDIER!¡± He shouted sternly, ¡°Listen to me! She¡¯s in critical condition. She needs Kaida NOW. So come on! And keep her head stable!¡± Without another word, Valdora turned from Arv and sprinted out of the room, leading the way back to the rest of the group.


    It was like something finally clicked in Arv¡¯s frenzied mind, and a thought made its way through the rage and grief and terror. He¡¯s just trying to help. Need to get help. Get Kaida. Help Neyra. Help¡­


    Arv cradled his sister¡¯s head against his chest, his giant hand covering her entire head and most of her torso. And then he ran.


    ***


    Shamil clicked the last part of her crossbow back into place when she heard it. It was a loud boom followed by someone screaming. Was that¡­Arv? Her blood ran cold as she leapt to her feet, her hands still on her weapon. Everyone looked up at the noise, but Shamil had a feeling that only she and Elle really recognized the voice from this distance. Indeed, she looked at Elivera, who stared back at her in horror. Shamil ran to the hallway where Valdora, Arv, and Neyra had gone not that long ago. What could have possibly happened in such a short time?


    She heard footsteps thundering from the end of the hallway, and she raised her crossbow. The rest of the squad formed up behind her and Elivera.


    ¡°Hold!¡± Kaida shouted, her voice firm, ¡°Keep defensive positions!¡±


    Shamil¡¯s heart pounded in her chest as she waited for whoever, or whatever, it was, to come around the corner. She nearly cried in relief as she saw Valdora¡¯s beautiful face come into view.


    ¡°Kaida!¡± He yelled, his voice was frantic, ¡°Kaida! It¡¯s Neyra!¡±


    Shamil nearly dropped her crossbow. No. No! Her ears rang and her hands trembled as she finally saw Arv turn the corner. He was holding Neyra close to his chest. Even at this distance, and even from behind his huge hands, she could see that it was bad. The squad cleared the way for the two frantic men to charge into the room.


    ¡°Elwin, get my spare kit. And hurry!¡± Kaida said, as she put down her weapon. She expertly removed her gauntlets and vambraces and rolled up her sleeves. Valdora and Arv worked together to lower Neyra to the ground, placing her head carefully into Kaida¡¯s lap. Elle fell to her knees beside them, her face nearly as pale as Neyra¡¯s. Shamil could see tears in her eyes just as she felt them well up in her own.


    Shamil had seen many things at the estate so far. They¡¯d passed rooms of gore and carnage vile enough to make grown men faint. But none of that struck her like the sight that unfolded before her right now.


    Neyra¡¯s ashen face was a mess of blood and tangled hair. The tips of her slender fingers were growing dark and her lips were tinged blue. Her feet twitched as Kaida gently examined her with expert hands. Arv still knelt, clutching the bottom half of Neyra¡¯s limp body while Kaida worked. His face was a mask of pure pain and grief.


    Elwin skidded to a stop with Kaida¡¯s bigger medical bag in tow. The rest of the team gave them a wide berth, leaving only the command team, the Tallfellows, and herself in the little cluster around Neyra.


    The next minutes seemed like an eternity to Shamil. Fear and anguish buzzed through her veins, but her mind fought hard to keep it all down. She knelt by Neyra¡¯s side; her head down and resting on her crossbow. Random details came to her in flashes as she desperately tried to block out the fear.


    ¡°Broken ribs, possible concussion, blunt force trauma, blood loss¡­¡±


    Kaida¡¯s voice sounded so distant and inhuman. Shamil heard the sounds of bandages ripping and scissors snipping. She thanked the Gods when she heard the telltale pop of a potion being uncorked. She knew enough about field medicine to know that Neyra wouldn¡¯t make it without one. Finally, she allowed herself to look up again. Kaida was tenderly wiping the blood from Neyra¡¯s face with a clean, wet cloth. An empty potion bottle was discarded by her side. She met Shamil¡¯s eyes and gave her a gentle smile,


    ¡°She looks worse than she is. I¡¯ve got her stabilized. And that potion will take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be okay?¡± Arv asked, his eyes wet and bloodshot. Shamil heard Elle finally release a sob as she saw Kaida nod to Arv.


    ¡°Yes. You got her to me in time.¡± Kaida motioned for Elle to take her place holding Neyra¡¯s head and then she got to her feet, quickly replacing her armor with that same practiced expertise she used to get it off. Valdora put a hand on Kaida¡¯s shoulder and nodded to her in thanks.


    ¡°She¡¯ll wake soon. We will take a brief rest here until then. Stay alert.¡± And he and Kaida walked away, conferring in hushed tones about what had happened.


    Cretin and Hilda stepped up behind where Arv sat, and Cretin put a hairy, gauntleted hand on his shoulder. Hilda looked down at Neyra with a soft smile.


    ¡°Aye, she¡¯s tougher than she looks, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Yes, her blood runs strong.¡± Riza hissed. Shamil turned her head to watch the great lizard woman crouch down between her and Elle. She bowed her frilled head in respect. ¡°You small ones keep surprising me¡­¡± she muttered with a small grin to Shamil and Elle?. Shamil smiled, her mind finally coming back to a more functional state. Riza reached out and ruffled her hair with her clawed fingers.


    ¡°Thank you, Riza¡­¡± Elle muttered on her other side. She was leaning her head against the lizard woman as she held Neyra¡¯s hand. Riza¡¯s tail swished approvingly behind her.


    Shamil felt her heart rate slowly return to normal, and she briefly chided herself for getting so worked up. Neyra was fine. She was fine. And there was no reason to keep huddling here while she rested, so she stood up and gave Riza a punch on the arm before turning to walk away.


    She was a tad bit surprised when her eyes fell on Zarl. He was sitting on the other side of the room with his head leaned back against the wall. His scarf hid his face completely. The guy had a tendency to hide in there when he was thinking too hard. But Shamil appreciated the goblin¡¯s restraint. Of course he must''ve been worried about Neyra. She had seen the look on his face when Valdora called for Kaida to help, but at least he had enough brains to maintain a respectful distance. Arv was a tad bit volatile at the moment.


    She could practically feel the stress radiating off of him as she walked closer. His exposed ears twitched as he finally heard her footsteps. He scrambled to his feet and looked at her with pained eyes.


    ¡°She¡¯s okay?¡± He asked. The words were out of him before he was completely upright. Shamil nodded.


    ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s alright.¡±


    His shoulders visibly lost some of their tension as he exhaled in relief. Shamil looked at him and was startled to see how red and puffy his eyes were. She raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m-I¡¯m fine, Shamil.¡± He said, furrowing his eyebrows as he glared at her. He was obviously bracing himself for her teasing.


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Shamil began softly. She couldn¡¯t believe she was actually saying this. ¡°I should have said it earlier, but I just wanted to say thank you.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For having Neyra¡¯s back like that. During that last fight, I mean. That stunt left you exposed, but you did it anyway. And I saw how you helped her through the shock afterwards, too.¡±


    He regarded her with a cautious look as she continued,


    ¡°All I¡¯m sayin¡¯ is¡­maybe I misjudged you, Zarl Tik¡¯tik.¡±


    He looked at her as if he expected her to say more, but she didn¡¯t elaborate further. Slowly, he nodded and smiled softly.


    ¡°Neyra!¡± Elle¡¯s voice rang out in the cold air of the dining hall. Shamil gave a start and hustled back over to her family, Zarl keeping a few paces behind her.


    Elle clutched Neyra tightly as she cried soft tears of relief. The poor girl looked dazed as Elle (and eventually Arv) continued to squeeze. Her hair was still an absolute mess, and there was blood all over her tabard, but her cheeks were rosy and full of life once more.


    ¡°I nee¨C¡± she began softly, her voice hoarse and strained. She coughed and her siblings quickly gave her some air, relinquishing the death grip they had on their big sister. She took deep, measured breaths as she tried to speak again. ¡°I need¡­¡±


    ¡°Need what, Neyra?¡± Arv asked, concern laced in his voice.


    ¡°I need my notebook¡­.¡± She muttered as she fumbled around her belts and pockets, searching with weak hands. Arv gave her a deadpan look and Elle just laughed. Shamil found herself chuckling too. Neyra was absolutely fine.


    Hilda and Cretin each crouched down and gave her soft pats on the back. Hilda was rambling on about the first time she ever lost consciousness on the battlefield. Cretin expressed how lucky she was to have a brother who could carry her to safety like that. And Riza took her hand and squeezed. Neyra looked at them all gratefully, focusing especially on her siblings. She tilted her head and scrunched her nose as she peered at Arv.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were actually worried, big guy!?¡±


    Arv sniffed and leaned down to press his forehead to Neyra¡¯s.


    ¡°Never¡­¡± he grumbled as he gave her a gentle pat on the head, ¡°Just don¡¯t go doin'' that again, ya hear?¡±


    ¡°Well, I was absolutely terrified.¡± Elivera interjected as she hugged Neyra once more. Her voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°I thought we lost you, Ney.¡±


    Shamil finally butted her way through the small crowd and took both of Neyra¡¯s hands in hers.


    ¡°You look like shit, friend.¡± She grinned and tugged Neyra into a hug. ¡°And I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Neyra huffed and pulled back, finally taking the time to really examine herself. Gingerly, she raised both hands to her head and her eyes went wide.


    ¡°Gods above!¡± She squeaked. She raised her hands and spoke those silly words of hers. The blood and grime seemed to melt off her, and her hair flowed around her head as if picked up by a breeze, magically untangling itself until it fell in perfectly soft gentle waves around her face and down her back.


    ¡°That¡¯s better¡­¡± she muttered, gathering her hair into the high tail she wore at the top of her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking well, Specialist,¡± Valdora said. His gorgeous voice drifted through the air as he sauntered over, Kaida by his side, ¡°You gave us quite the scare back there.¡±


    He approached and knelt down at her side as Kaida examined her. Arv was trying (and failing) to hide his glare at the man as he spoke softly with Neyra about what had happened. Oh good grief, Arv. Shamil thought to herself.


    Zarl stepped up right beside Shamil and she noticed that his little green face was scrunched up in a bit of a glare as well. For crying out loud¡­he¡¯s just a gentleman!! There¡¯s nothin¡¯ to worry about there. She¡¯s not even his type. But even as she thought the words, she tried to plan a way to get Valdora wrapped up in all of this. It would be hilarious.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to head out, sir,¡± Neyra said with a firm nod, ¡°And Kaida, I would very much like to talk to you about the contents of that potion. What¡¯s the potency of¡­-¡±


    Shamil rolled her eyes and forcibly tuned out the rest of Neyra¡¯s rambling.

 Casualties

    Chapter 11


    Casualties


    The trappings of the Estate (or at least what remained of them) grew more and more ornate as they approached the great hall, the ultimate barrier between them and the audience chamber. Shamil could hear her own heartbeat in the eerie, unnatural silence. She peered up into the darkness of the grand, vaulted ceilings, her eyes searching for any sign of movement in the rafters. She felt Elivera and Neyra shift uncomfortably around her as the Howdah swayed with Arv¡¯s steps.


    ¡°Swear there¡¯s somethin¡¯ watching me¡­¡± Hilda grumbled from behind them in the formation. ¡°It¡¯s makin¡¯ me itch.¡±


    Shamil reflexively checked the bolt that was loaded in her crossbow. She was ready to shoot at a moment''s notice. This entire room stank of an ambush waiting to happen.


    A hand signal flashed down the line. Movement. Be ready.


    Everyone came alert, stances changing to prepare for combat. Arv secured his footing and raised his shield. Elle readied an arrow on her bow. Neyra closed her eyes and whispered incantations under her breath, and Shamil pulled the butt stock of her weapon securely against her shoulder.


    As if on cue, half a dozen goblins in obsidian black armor leapt down from the rafters. Their bloodthirsty shrieks echoed and rang around the giant room as they landed, blocking the exit with their wicked formation. Their spears glinted, and they chattered excitedly in their guttural language as they advanced. But that wasn¡¯t what had Shamil¡¯s attention.


    The arched entryway of the audience chamber stood just mere paces away. Elwin had spoken before of the grand, oak doors that led to her father¡¯s audience hall. But now only scraps and splinters remained. They had been blown apart by some obscene force. And recently, too. Some pieces still smoldered, producing little wisps of smoke. Three enormous figures stood in the haze, their tattoos glowing with an eerie light. The creature in the center slowly raised his demonic flail in challenge. And then it began.


    Shamil paid no mind to the goblins. She knew that Hilda and Cretin had that well in hand. Instead, she locked her sights on the center figure. Without another thought, she pulled the trigger. Her bolt shot forward just as Elle loosed her own arrow. They lanced ahead toward the same target. The bolt struck the hobgoblin in his chest, but glanced off of his armor with a loud ping. Elle¡¯s arrow met a similar fate as it clattered off one of his pauldrons. Elle cursed and Shamil felt the Howdah shift slightly as she leapt out of it, her sword in hand. Shamil uttered a silent prayer for her friend as she charged ahead with Valdora, Kaida, and Riza.


    Neyra spoke and bright, fuscia bolts leapt from her fingers and streaked at the three hobgoblins. They snarled as each bolt struck them in their faces. Valdora took advantage of the distraction and lunged forward with his spear. He thrust deep into the armpit of the left hobgoblin. The beast roared out in fury and retaliated with his flail. Riza performed a similar thrust with her spear and stabbed the same commander in the thigh. Elwin screamed in fury as she and Elivera both leapt at the right hobgoblin in a coordinated attack. Their swords flashed, and they pulled back defensively after leaving their marks on the creature.


    Shamil loaded another bolt and sent it straight into the guts of the creature who fought Elivera and Elwin. The beast doubled over from the force of the shot, and Elle rushed inside the range of his flail to finish him. Her rapier stabbed repeatedly as the hobgoblin screamed and cursed. He still lived. Like the others, he seemed not to be hurting as much as he had the right to be. Neyra was right. Those tattoos of theirs offered some sort of supernatural protection. But that protection wasn¡¯t enough to deflect Elwin¡¯s decapitating strike. The swift cut wasn¡¯t as clean as some of her others, the head was still attached with sinew and muscle at the neck, but it flopped back unnaturally like an open book. The glow of his inked body faded as he crumpled to the floor.


    The Howdah lurched while Shamil struggled to load another bolt. Arv was locked in combat with the center hobgoblin, who worked furiously to fend off Arv and Kaida¡¯s concentrated attack. He had abandoned his flail in favor of two concealed short swords, which he wielded with deadly expertise. He was growing more infuriated with each passing second, and he screamed at them in an unfamiliar tongue.


    ¡°The goblins!¡± Zarl yelled from somewhere up high. ¡°Some bastards got through!¡±


    Shamil spared a glance up and found Zarl perched on the same rafters that the beasts leapt down from just moments before. He sent arrow after arrow, raining down on the smaller threats.


    ¡°Arv!¡± Valdora roared as he leapt back from the now-downed hobgoblin. Only the center commander remained, ¡°Help Cretin and Hilda!¡±


    Without question, Arv disengaged and Valdora took his place in the formation that pressed down on the final hobgoblin. Arv spun around and stepped into a lunge that speared a bloodied goblin on the end of his trident. He roared and prepared to strike again, lost in the thrill of combat. Shamil had no orders to disengage, so she returned her attention back to the hobgoblin. He was nearly feral with rage, his arms like a whirlwind as he struck out with reckless abandon.


    Neyra ducked down into the relative quiet of the Howdah as she prepared another spell. Shamil had no idea how she could focus during all of this, especially if spell casting was really as difficult as she made it sound. There was no telling when (or if) she could provide any more support fire. It was up to Shamil and Zarl, then. Her bolt now loaded, she raised her weapon to fire.


    And then there was a scream, horrible and hissing. Riza stumbled backward out of the line, her spear clattering to the floor. She desperately clutched at where her left hand should have been. There was nothing but a bloody stump. The hobgoblin finally had his opening. He surged into the break, focusing both of his blades on the injured Riza. The crazed look in his eyes told Shamil that he knew he was a dead man. He just wanted to be sure to take someone down with him. And he wanted it to be Riza.


    Kaida stepped back to protect Riza, but the hobgoblin aimed a kick at her chest, sending her flying backward. Valdora, Elwin, and Elle rushed to flank the commander, unable to sacrifice this crucial opportunity to take him down. Time slowed as the beast leapt at Riza. Her clawed feet slipped in the blood that fountained from her wrist and she stumbled to the ground. Shamil had one chance, and even if she made the shot, there was no telling if it would save her friend or not. She took her aim and fired.


    The bolt sank in between the hobgoblin¡¯s eyes with a loud crunch. His war shouts stopped, and he froze, muscles locked in shock. Then he slumped lifelessly to the floor. His tattoos glowed and pulsed for one last moment, and then winked out. Shamil hurriedly slung her crossbow onto her back and leapt out of the Howdah. Elwin was busy slitting the throats of the other downed hobgoblins, ensuring they were truly dead, but the rest of the squad crowded around Riza. Kaida shouted at Elle to keep the pressure steady as she held her cloak on Riza¡¯s arm stump. Valdora hurriedly wrapped a belt further up Riza¡¯s forearm as Kaida continued to bark orders. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Shamil paled slightly as she took in the amount of blood on the floor. She was still paces away from Riza and already the pool seeped toward her toes. Her ears rang as she splashed through the red liquid until she came to Riza¡¯s side.


    Kaida was removing a potion from her bag when she suddenly cursed and set it back on the ground. She got up on her knees and pounded on Riza¡¯s chest, furiously pumping her arms in a steady rhythm.


    ¡°No. No!¡± she said, huffing, her face red from exertion. Around her, the rest of the squadron stood silent. Neyra leapt from the Howdah and hurried up, with Arv, to stand behind Shamil. She raised a trembling hand to her mouth, shaking her head. Neyra looked as pale as Shamil felt.


    ¡°Valdora!¡± Kaida barked, and the man rushed to take over the pumping motion. Kaida put practiced fingers at Riza¡¯s neck, her brows furrowed as she desperately searched for a pulse. Her face fell, and she slumped backward into the pool of blood with a small splash. Valdora stopped, noting the look on his lieutenant¡¯s face. She met his eyes and shook her head.


    Shamil¡¯s tears made small ripples as they fell from her face and dripped into the pool of blood at her feet. Cretin roared in fury and he threw his mace to the ground. Hilda held her helm in gauntleted hands and bowed her head solemnly. Elwin just stared, an icy rage burning in her eyes. Elle let the bloody cloak fall from her hands and onto Riza¡¯s chest. Then she put her hand on Kaida¡¯s shoulder and the two of them looked down on their fallen companion.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Neyra said, her voice breaking with sobs, ¡°Riza¡­no¡­¡±


    Arv stepped forward to kneel next to Hilda, bowing his head just as she did. His face contorted with sorrow. Hilda turned to him and put a hand on his knee before looking down again. Zarl stepped up to fill in the space where Arv once stood, his footsteps quiet and cautious. He waited in silence between Shamil and Neyra. Then he tentatively put one hand on Shamil¡¯s shoulder in a humble gesture of comfort. Slowly, almost afraid, he put the other on Neyra¡¯s.


    Neyra immediately whipped around and buried her face into his scarf, melting into his touch. His eyes widened in surprise and he quickly took his hand away from Shamil¡¯s shoulder to hold Neyra against his chest as she wept.


    Neyra was a hugger, and she would embrace anyone, especially if she was upset. A tiny part of Shami¡¯s grief-addled brain hoped that Zarl wouldn¡¯t read too much into this. Indeed, Neyra reached out and tugged Shamil into the embrace as soon as she was able, and she clutched onto both of them as she let the tears fall. Shamil wept. She couldn''t keep it back, not when it was for Riza.


    This really was war, then. It was vile; it was wretched, and it was only just beginning. It pained her to know that this was probably just the first of many casualties to come. She would get used to it eventually, always losing anyone she cared about. She had to.


    Neyra finally broke away, wiping her tears with her gloved hands,


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± she choked as she looked up at Zarl with tear-filled eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me.¡±


    He opened his mouth as if to say it was alright, but she walked away before he got the chance. His hand remained outstretched, as if to keep her from leaving. Neyra took reverent steps toward Riza¡¯s corpse. She stopped and took a deep breath, closing her eyes. Arcane words spilled from her lips and she waved her fingers in the air. A spectral, floating hand appeared in front of her face. Eyes still closed, Neyra whispered under her breath. The hand floated to the bloody cloak that Elle had used to staunch the bleeding. Reverently, it picked up the cloak and dropped it at Riza¡¯s feet. Then it took the other end and carefully pulled it up over her whole body. It paused for a moment, and then it tenderly covered her face. Then the hand vanished in a small puff of mist.


    ¡°Your sacrifice will be honored, and your spirit remembered, Riza Hess of the Lao Tribe,¡± Valdora intoned, his voice solemn. He crouched down and placed a hand on her shrouded face. He stood and regarded them each?.


    ¡°Her death will mean nothing if we don¡¯t accomplish what we came here to do. Let¡¯s move.¡±


    Shamil inhaled sharply and slowly nodded her head. The others of her squad muttered their assent in a similar fashion. They all got to their feet and prepared to move out. They still had a job to do.


    ***


    Elle¡¯s eyes burned from her spent tears, making it even harder for her to see in the dim light of the audience chamber. Arv stepped carefully across the threshold. A room that was surely once a grand reception area now laid in ruin. Bodies littered the floor. Some were the corpses of shadow soldiers, but many more wore Lord Nero¡¯s colors. A noble effort was made here, and the blood of many valiant men trickled and pooled onto the smooth marble floors. The squadron¡¯s footsteps clicked and echoed eerily as they pressed further into the grand room.


    ¡°I knew about the tunnels in here, but I was never told exactly how to access them,¡± Elwin muttered as she hurried to the far end of the room. Beams of sunlight peeked through tall windows that were inlaid in the vaulted ceilings. That pale light broke through the gloom in small patches. Elwin passed through one on her way to a grand throne which stood (remarkably) unscathed on a raised dais at the end of the room. Leading up to the throne was a carpet that Elivera assumed would be luxurious were it not completely saturated with blood.


    ¡°The entrance would be somewhere near his throne, surely¡­¡± Valdora said as he moved to search with Elwin, ¡°Zarl! Try to find a trail. Everyone else, keep a keen eye. And listen for any sounds of a struggle!¡±


    Elle held her breath and strained her ears, trying desperately to pick up anything unusual. They needed to find him. They¡¯d lost so much already. What more did they stand to lose if they couldn¡¯t get to him in time? The thought made her stomach churn.


    She took a shuddering breath and tried to force herself to relax. The knots of ensign weighed heavily on her shoulders. It felt almost as if they would drag her to the ground.


    ¡°Captain!¡± Zarl¡¯s voice broke through the silence. ¡°I¡¯ve found something.¡±


    The Howdah jostled as Arv jogged to where Zarl crouched on the ground. The rest of the team crowded near him as he studied the floor with trained eyes.


    ¡°Look,¡± Zarl said. He kept low to the ground as he led the team through the trail. ¡°Someone was dragged here. They smeared the blood and painted a path clear to this wall.¡±


    Indeed, the unassuming smear ended abruptly just at the wall. Almost too abruptly. Elle felt stupid for not noticing until Zarl pointed it out. It seemed so obvious.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Elwin said, rushing forward to run her fingers along the intricate wood paneling. ¡°I can even feel a draft. Cretin! Arv! There¡¯s no time to find the latch. Come help me pry this open¡­¡± she drew her sword and carefully wedged the blade into a nearly invisible seam in the wood.


    Without question, the two large men hurried over. Arv rammed his harpoon into the opening, and Cretin opted to use his massive, clawed fingers instead. Together they heaved. Elle heard the wood creak and groan before it cracked. The break allowed enough give for them to break down the rest of the hidden door.


    Pieces fell away in splinters, unleashing the icy breeze contained behind them. Soon, they all stood staring down the dimly lit entrance of a rough-hewn tunnel passage. Beams supported the ceilings, and flickering torches lined the walls. From somewhere in the shadowy depths, a man screamed.


    ¡°Go!¡± Valdora roared as he sprinted after Elwin. She had leapt to action the very second the sound met their ears. The rest of the squad leapt to action behind the two of them. Elle¡¯s breath caught as the Howdah lurched with Arv¡¯s abrupt movement. She spared one last glance for her sister in the fading, and then they plunged down into the depths below.

 The Dark Below

    Chapter 12


    The Dark Below


    ¡°It¡¯s like an abandoned mine shaft,¡± Shamil marveled as Arv spirited them through the tunnel.


    ¡°Bah! Old Gods send they made it properly!¡± Hilda said from beside the Howdah. Elle couldn¡¯t make out her eyes from behind the ornate dwarven helm, but she was certain that Hilda was inspecting the wooden support beams even as they ran.


    The air grew colder the deeper they delved, and it didn¡¯t take long for them to find the first body. The human man lay slumped against the rough stone wall, his head snapped to the side, eyes wide and vacant. He wore the colors of Lord Nero¡¯s house, but his uniform was more ornate than that of the soldiers they encountered in the hall above.


    ¡°The Iron Guard¡­¡± Elwin muttered as she slid to a stop, ¡°My father¡¯s personal retinue.¡±


    ¡°Keep going! I can hear them!¡± Cretin growled as he grabbed Elwin by the arm. Indeed, sounds of fighting echoed from the cavern ahead. Screams and shouts mingled with the loud clang of steel on steel. Elwin and Valdora led the squadron¡¯s charge as they barreled around another corner. Finally, they found him.


    Just ahead of them, an older man in ornate robes stood huddled against the side of the tunnel. Soot and dark splatters of blood had soiled his fine clothing. Three more guards lay dead at his feet, their bodies a broken mess of armor and flesh torn apart by the spiked head of a flail. His eyes were wide with panic as he looked down at his men, and he cried out in fear as the monster that towered before him took another step closer.


    ¡°Father!!¡± Elwin screamed, her voice cracking.


    The beast stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of Elwin¡¯s voice. Slowly, he turned his head toward Lord Nero¡¯s would-be saviors. The squad formed their line and raised weapons as the massive beast regarded them with amusement. Coarse hair covered his entire body, leaving nothing but his mouth and ears free. He looked frighteningly similar to Cretin. A beast of a man. But he lacked the humanity that Cretin held so dear.


    ¡°Ah¡­the half-bred bastard child.¡± He spat as he focused on Elwin with gleaming, bloodthirsty eyes. Blood dripped from his lips and Elle could see where some of his yellowed teeth had been knocked out in combat. Their absence did nothing to bother the creature as he continued to growl in his broken, heavily accented Common,


    ¡°They told me you were off playing soldier¡­¡± he sneered, turning his back on the trembling man. Lord Nero looked ready to collapse from shock.


    ¡°Touch him¡­and you die,¡± Elwin snarled, fiery venom dripping from her voice. She raised her sword in challenge. And, to Elle¡¯s absolute shock, it began to glow. How long had she been able to do that?! Neyra gasped from her side as it continued to shine, illuminating the tunnel with a pure, soft light.


    Valdora stood tall as he stepped to Elivera¡¯s side, his spear raised. The light of Elwin¡¯s weapon glowed just beneath him, casting sharp shadows across his face.


    ¡°Surrender¡­now.¡± He growled, his voice resonating with a deep timbre that seemed almost unnatural coming from the human man.


    ¡°Hah!¡± the beast barked as he hefted his dripping flail in clawed hands. ¡°And deny my master both Neros? I think not.¡± His voice slipped into a gurgling growl as he flexed his shoulders. The tattoos that covered his hairy arms still pulsed with sickly light. With no warning, Elwin screamed and charged at the beast.


    The woman¡¯s rage and grief fueled her as she surged forward, illuminated by the light of her blade. Valdora and Kaida rushed in behind her, joining her voice with battle cries of their own. Hilda whooped and barreled forward, her shield raised and her axe at the ready.


    ¡°Get to Nero!¡± Valdora roared as they engaged the creature. Arv fell in behind Hilda as she raced further down the tunnel. She blocked a hit from the beast¡¯s flail as she slid past, her armor scraping against the stony cavern floor. Arv struck out with his trident, trying to catch the beast¡¯s arm mid swing, but the creature was fast, extremely fast. He repelled the attacks of their entire squadron with an unnatural ease. Even the arrows and bolts shot from their ranged fighters were deflected with an almost casual grace.


    Elivera cursed, lowering her bow as he knocked another arrow straight out of the air with his frenzied attacks. It was no use. Her sword would serve her better here. Ahead of them, Hilda had Lord Nero slung over her back like a limp sack of potatoes. Both his head and his legs dangled dangerously close to the ground (such was the risk when being rescued by a dwarf) But she bore his weight with ease, holding him tight with her shield arm. She still held her axe defensively as she waited for an opening. Elle would just have to give her one.


    With no room for theatrics in the tight quarters of the tunnel, Elivera had to settle for merely sliding down from the Howdah. She drew her sword with a flourish, meeting Hilda¡¯s eyes,


    ¡°Go! Go! Get him out of here!¡± She yelled over the din of battle. She shouted a rallying cry and surged ahead with Cretin and Arv at her side. Together they pushed against the bugbear¡¯s sweeping attacks, clearing the way for Hilda to escape with Nero.


    Elwin spared them the briefest of glances as Hilda clanked by with her father in tow. Elle noted the relief in her eyes and, sure enough, she felt that same relief bloom in her own chest. They had him. He was alive. Now they just needed to get out of here alive.


    The wicked general roared out in pure fury and rage as he saw his quarry escaping down the tunnel. He attacked even more recklessly, focusing his fervor on Elwin and her glowing blade. But Elwin met that fervor with a fire of her own.


    She was resplendent, her sword forms moving so fast that they made nothing more than a glowing blur in front of her. Beside her stood Cretin, his mace swinging out protectively to catch any flail strikes that fell too close to her. Kaida and Valdora focused the legs, trying to make the creature lose his footing with their greatspear and warhammer strikes. Together, the captain and his lieutenant made a deadly harmony, attacking with a synergism that seemed almost unnatural. Arv stood his ground behind Elle, giving her overhead cover with his shield.


    More than once Elivera heard the telltale crack of that shield doing its job. Her heart swelled with appreciation for the protection from her big brother. A small bolt of fire whizzed past her and struck the leg of the bugbear, sending the scent of burnt hair to her nostrils. She felt that same pride and appreciation for her big sister as she followed up on the burning attack, striking at the charred flesh with her rapier. The dark beast howled out in agony, and the glow of his tattoos flickered. He seemed to finally feel the pain that he so greatly deserved.


    Elle snarled as she pressed in even harder, her squad mates advancing in kind. Tears streamed from her burning eyes as she struck his flesh again and again and again. This was for Riza. For her big brother, for Shamil, for her big sister, who didn¡¯t even want to be dragged into this mess! This was for the life the shadow stole from her when their clouds first touched Piria¡¯s shores. She would make them pay. They would pay. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Arv roared and Cretin bellowed as their weapons struck the beast¡¯s chest at nearly the same time. Arv¡¯s trident sank between ribs with a vile squelching sound. But the prongs didn¡¯t remain long as Cretin followed with a swing of his mace. The concussive force of his blow sent the beast flying backward and off of Arv¡¯s trident. Three scarlet fountains of blood trailed through the air as he flew, crashing into a support beam with a sickening crack.


    Cretin and Elwin rushed in to finish him as the bugbear stumbled once more to his feet, legs shaking and chest heaving. He screamed in fury as he raised his flail in a last desperate attempt to destroy them. His tattoos glowed as he swung with all the meager strength left in him, and the great barbed heads of the flail struck something solid with a loud, sharp crack. They had sunk into the wood of the support beam just above his head, stopping his swing just enough for the handle to slip from his bloody hands. He stumbled at the loss of balance. Then the flail swung and fell from the splintered remains of the beam, hitting him squarely on the head. There was a small puff of dust as the body slammed the tunnel floor. His tattoos finally winked out.


    ¡°Well, that was unexpected,¡± Cretin said from behind his tusks, his chest heaving from the exertion of the battle. He and Elwin looked down at the body in disgust as the rest of the squad fell in. Elwin sheathed her sword and knelt on the ground, panting in exhaustion. She spat on his corpse.


    ¡°Rot in the hells, you filth,¡± she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, ¡°And tell them who sent you.¡±


    Cretin grunted in approval at her words and patted her on the back with a giant hand. Valdora took a deep breath and nodded.


    ¡°Well done,¡± he said, ¡°Cretin, bring the body. I don¡¯t want to stay here any longer than we have to.¡± He turned his icy eyes up to what little remained of the beam. As if on cue, a deep rumble echoed from the depths of the cavern. Elle swore she felt a tremor in the ground beneath her feet.


    ¡°Elle,¡± Arv whispered, ¡°Get in the Howdah, now.¡±


    Elivera didn¡¯t have to be told twice. She clambered up the side of the giant box and settled in between Neyra and Shamil. Neyra looked at her with anxious eyes as the rumbles grew louder.


    Cretin bent down and picked up the bugbear with a grunt, slinging his limp body over his giant shoulder. He nodded to Valdora, and then he ran.


    ***


    Neyra held onto the Howdah for dear life, trying desperately to keep her eyes on the end of the tunnel. The quakes and tremors were picking up in intensity, certainly not aided by the fact that they were all running for their lives down the actively collapsing tunnel. Cold air and dust rushed up from the depths behind them, seeming to lick their heels as they fled. Torches fell from their sconces and clattered into the abyss as the cavern floors crumbled and collapsed, plunging them into an even deeper darkness.


    Arv stumbled as another fissure opened up in the ground right behind them, and the force of the lurch sent the three girls tumbling out of the Howdah. With a sharp cry, Neyra hit the ground, the wind knocked from her lungs. She felt a clattering crash beside her as Elle and Shamil landed just as gracefully. Arv turned back for the briefest Moment, absolute horror on his face as he continued to run. He screamed, but the cacophony of the rocks and earth around them drowned his voice out. Even in her daze, Neyra knew well enough what he was trying to say. There was no time to get back on. They had to run.


    She scrambled to her feet, Elle tugging on her arm as she did so. Shamil was already sprinting, and the two sisters sprang forward in a desperate attempt to catch up. Neyra¡¯s blood pounded in her ears as she ran, each beat seeming to last a lifetime. The ground heaved, and she knew that there would be no stop to this catastrophic collapse until they reached the foundations of the Nero Estate.


    The tunnel exit was just ahead, dim light piercing the dusty darkness. Her lungs burned as she inhaled gulps of the putrid air, desperately trying to push herself forward towards salvation. Arv and Shamil had reached the end along with the others, and they screamed as the Tallfellow sisters ran.


    There was a buckle in the ground behind her and Neyra knew that this was it, jump¡­or die. She glanced at Elivera, her mouth open with an inaudible scream as she pushed off with her feet. Their brown eyes met, mirroring the terror and pure helplessness that they both felt. Neyra tried desperately to find even the slightest sliver of arcane power to protect her sister, but there was nothing left. The fight had depleted it all. She was spent. And they were about to die.


    The world drifted by in slow motion as the ground fell out from beneath her, bits of razor sharp rubble lacerating her skin as she flew. It should have been loud, it should have hurt, but there was nothing but a numb and ringing silence in Neyra¡¯s ears. The ledge was approaching, and she could do nothing but extend her arms and pray that it was enough.


    Neyra felt her ribs crack as she crashed into the chiseled rock, and her arm bent unnaturally as the force of her landing sent her tiny body into a roll. Her free hand flew out in desperation, raw bleeding fingers trying to find purchase on something, anything. She finally skidded to a stop. Sounds flooded back into her ears in a sudden torrential rush. Gone was the deep rumble of the earth and the booming of rockslides. Now, she could only hear screams.


    ¡°ELIVERA? NEYRA?!¡± Arv¡¯s deep, booming voice penetrated the dark, dusty air. Neyra lifted her head weakly to see several shapes moving in the darkness. Familiar boots stomped towards her face. He continued to shout as he ran,


    ¡°I found Neyra! She¡¯s hurt! NEY!¡±


    He skidded to a stop and fell to his knees beside her. Shamil was close behind him, searching the environment with frantic eyes as the rest of the team tailed along behind her. Shamil continued past them and into the dust filled air as Arv bent down to help support her head. He gathered her into his gentle arms, and she could feel how he shook and trembled. Was he hurt? No, just afraid. She felt that pure fear radiating off of him, and it amplified her own.


    As Neyra¡¯s eyes adjusted, she could see that the vaulted ceilings of the Nero Estate were just ahead. The ground underneath her was still rough and unhewn. With a numb mind, she presumed it must have been close enough to the foundations to sustain structural integrity during the collapse. Neyra choked on a sputtering breath and could taste her own blood as it dripped from her mouth. She winced as she tried to lift her head, her eyes searching frantically. Her heart pounded, and her chest felt as if it were in a vise grip. Through the haze of pain and shock, a single dreadful thought filled her mind. She could only force one word out of her broken body.


    ¡°Elle¡­¡± she said. She choked and coughed as she willed her lungs to fill again, ¡°ELIVERA!¡± It came from her as a broken sob as she flung her eyes around the cavern, desperately looking for a sister who wasn¡¯t there among the dust and rubble.


    Arv¡¯s grip tightened around her, and his breathing rate quickened exponentially.


    ¡°Shamil!¡± He called, ¡°Shamil, have you found Elle?!¡±


    He waved a hand around in the air as if trying to force the dust to settle. The haze was thicker toward the collapse, but it was clearing steadily. Neyra focused her gaze as hard as she could. She felt within her the tiniest spark of arcane energy, and she shakily reached out, willing it to dissipate the dust.


    The small form of Shamil seemed to materialize out of nowhere as every mote of dust and dirt fell to the ground in one sudden sweep. The gnome stood completely still in her tracks, looking down at what once was the floor of the tunnel. Neyra gasped and wrenched herself free from Arv¡¯s grasp, which had gone weak when the dust settled. Her body barely supported her as she frantically stumbled and crashed her way to where Shamil stood.


    Before them was a monstrous cavern, a fissure in the earth much larger than the tunnel had ever been. There was nothing but jagged rock and darkness in that gaping maw below. A frigid breeze drifted up from the shadows, and it licked at the strands of hair that haphazardly framed the girls¡¯ faces. Shamil turned around slowly and met Neyra¡¯s eyes. For a moment, Shamil¡¯s brown face was empty and hollow, devoid of all emotion. And then her mask fell. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she grimaced in agony as she shook her head.


    No.


    No.


    The most unholy of sounds left Neyra as her entire world crashed around her in one fell swoop. Devastating peals and screams flew from bloodied lips, tearing fresh pain into her broken body. Her legs couldn¡¯t hold her anymore and she collapsed to her hands and knees as she desperately tried to crawl further to the ledge. She had nearly reached it when powerful arms grabbed her from behind, restraining her in a bear hug.


    ¡°Elle! ELLE! NO! ARV LET GO OF ME!¡± She kicked and shrieked and pled, but to no avail. She felt Arv¡¯s chest tremble with his own sobs as she continued to thrash in his grip.


    ¡°Neyra, Neyra STOP!¡± He wept, ¡°Neyra-you can¡¯t, we can¡¯t¡­¡± he trailed off for a moment as he tried to choke out the words, they left him in a defeated whisper, ¡°Neyra¡­she¡¯s gone.¡±


    The End of Part I