Updates and stuff
So it FINALLY actually rained. I mean a good, all day rain. Naturally this hatched about a gazillion love bugs and mosquitoes but I don't care it beats the hell out of always watering to keep damn things alive. Plus I had to nuke about a dozen ant mounds that spring up over night from the ground soaking.
Other things going on... work they changed our service times in Magnolia, which use to be extrended area, meaning more delivery time. This has been kind of a both good and bad thing. Good in that it makes customers happy, bad that it means I have to rethink how I do the route, but as a consolation they took a chunk of area away so as to make it smaller and more managble. It hought I would be getting home later because of it, but it works out to be about the same so that's fine.
The last thing I read was Gears of War: Coalitions End... I will do a review some time later, but I will say this espcially to Trey (Syphh) you soooo need to read the books in the Gears of War series. They really help understand the world and the characters making them more dimensional and fills in the massive holes that take place between Gears 2 and 3.
Kaitlin is fine, had a few sniffles, but then kids always do. She is picking up a few bad additude points such as throwing things at me and other temper tantrum antics, but then she is almost 2 so that will happen as I am told.
Finally, we have a sizable story part, hence the long delay. Enjoy!
No one was surprised to see me standing among the volunteers and no one questioned it. I was only one of three volunteers who was not a knight. Edge selected me for his group so that he could keep an eye on me and I appreciated it, we were both hurting in ways words failed to describe and needed to watch each other’s back. I think what amazed all of us was how quickly the fleeing Kanarians had made it to the cover of the foothill forest without leaving stragglers, as if they knew the only chance they had was to stick together. I would have felt a sense of respect for the bastards had they not already taken so much from me. Instead, all it meant were more footprints and an easily followed trail to see from the air. We caught up to the column in no time. There is only one word to describe the battle that ensued among those trees next to the Hobthorn River fork… ruthless.
Darlanders were born to fly; the wings were there for a reason after all. There was always that one in a million who had something happen or some twitch in their brain that made them deathly afraid to fly, but that was, one could imagine, as rare as a fish that hated water. Still, for a species that was born to rule the air over all flying creatures Darlanders were not actually the most graceful flyers in a formation. Add in fatigue and bulky weapons and armor and sometimes two individuals would bounce off one another. It was often a running joke among hecklers, but no one would laugh if the clatter had alerted their fleeing prey.
Edge growled, glancing over his shoulder, a civilian with a pike who obviously had not ever flown with it before had crashed into a young knight and they were about to tear into one another, but his hot razor glance had cut them both short. With a gesture he ordered the groups to break off, Janna and Bradigan taking their volunteers a different direction to prepare the assault drop.
The foliage was still reasonably thick considering it had already begun changing color and soon would brown for the coming harvest season. The shadows below would mask most if their approach, but not indefinitely.
Palco knew he would never see home again. He accepted that, but that did not mean he wanted to die either. A few of the others had come up with a plan to hide out and lie low in the forest, then build some rafts to launch at night and try to ride the currents down to the shipping lanes out at sea.
“The wagon is slowing us down.”
Palco glanced over his shoulder. The wagon was near the back of the column and loaded with stolen supplies and food, but also several crying Darlander children. He was not sure how much longer he could stand the screaming.
The brown and orange Kanarian spoke again. “We should leave it, we are out of the city.”
“It’s the only thing keeping those wingos off our hairy backsides. If you don’t like it just do the rest of us a favor and go run off that way and die.”
There was a whoosh sound followed by a rustling of trees and snapping of small branches causing the column to stop moving and all the side conversations to cease. Palco and Gorbane had caught sight of what had created the forward movement to stop, a sword stabbed into the ground still slightly wobbling. A moment later, a black cherry Darlander landed and grabbed the sword.
“I have only been given one opportunity to say this. Surrender your weapons and the children and your lives will be spared.”
“KILL THE FURLESS PRAT!”
The Kanarian who shouted the battle cry was only able to draw his weapon half way from the scabbard before he fell to the ground, an arrow sticking out of his chest.
“Pity.”
Bradigan leapt forward, attacking his closest target, the rest of his squad dropped from the trees surrounding the front of the column. With the river to northeast and thicker underbrush to the south the pirates had nowhere to scatter to safety.
Darlanders rained through the trees with weapons ready, not an ounce of compassion in a single eye. Solaire slashed downward, his target letting loose a painful scream before crumpling over still. He spotted the stolen wagon sitting a short distance away and started for it when another Kanarian slashed at him.
Solaire roared, parrying and shoving the raider away. “Get out of my way!” The teenager only managed a few more steps before being pounced by the same Kanarian. Solaire’s dropped his sword as the two rolled on the dirt and grass, exchanging brutal punches and kicks. Others were not fairing much better. The rescue party had guessed they would be outnumbered, but underestimated how many had fled. Now, the element of surprise was gone and many knights were finding themselves defending against more than one enemy. Edge was somehow keeping five of them occupied. Solaire lost sight of what was going on around as his attacker pulled a knife and tried to stab downward.
“Half breeds got no right to live. Should never have come after us.”
Solaire struggled to hold the knife back against the heavier Kanarian, shifting about. “And you should never have taken my son.” The halfling drove his knee spur into his assailant’s crotch. The knife came free as the Kanarian screamed. Solaire seized the weapon and stabbed his opponent in the throat. Half a breath later another Kanarian wound back to slice at Solaire’s head. The teen had only turned his eyes to the new threat when Janna tackled the would-be attacker feet first, stabbing his chest with both her long knives and propelled herself into a back flip over Solaire. She landed perfectly on the shoulders of another raider driving him into the ground. The long knives did their job quickly.
Janna’s ice blue eyes burn through the still dazed teenager. “Stay on your feet or in the air. Play to your speed and strengths, not theirs.” It was all the advice she could give before tossing a throwing knife at a Kanarian foolish enough to stand still.
Solaire retrieved his sword, keeping his eyes moving as he continued once again for the wagon. He only made it a few steps closer before having to help others against desperate and ferocious opponents. It was generally a good rule of combat not to ever corner a desperate enemy. Much like an animal being hunted, people reverted to their most basic animal instincts to survive and no one was above clawing or biting if it meant getting the upper hand in such a fight.
“Thanks for the help,” said the bone white knight he had met earlier, he recalled her name was Dana. The pair stood back to back, parrying and striking at any opening that presented itself.
“We need to keep them away from the wagon.”
“I think they are more interested in us.” Dana dodged and stabbed the overstretched Kanarian in the ribs. He screamed and rolled away, her sword still protruding from his side. Dana backed over Solaire, their tails and feet becoming tangled.
“Gotcha!”
Solaire slashed back at the approaching dagger, fracturing the poor metal and cutting up the arm of the black and red pirate.
Dana unsheathed Solaire’s dagger she knew he kept on the back of his belt and jumped to her feet, kicking the injured attacker in the face. “You keep saving my life. I don’t know how I am going to repay you.”
“By staying alive. These damn dogs were trying to kill our women and children, that’s why they are coming after you so hard.”
The pale Darlander growled, her pearl colored eyes more red than they were a moment before. “Monsters. Bloody damn monsters. You’re right, let’s make for the wagon, I will cover you. If we can move it from the battle no one else will have to concern themselves with it.”
Solaire nodded and made to step over the Kanarian whose arm he had cut open. He felt the teeth sink into his lower calf all the way to the bones. Dana kicked the Kanarian repeatedly, finally having to drop to her knees and pry his jaw open. Solaire growled, examining the puncture wounds. The damage was minimal, but throbbing painful.
“Give me your hand, I’ll brace you.”
“BEHIND YOU!”
Training took over as Dana made to block a strike she did not see. The beaten, bleeding and desperate Kanarian had found a fragment of his broken knife and stabbed Dana in the throat. Solaire retrieved his dagger as both of the female Darlander’s hands clamped her bleeding neck. Mercilessly, Solaire stabbed the raider until he was certain he would not come back for another strike.
After a moment’s pause Solaire tore a length of fabric from his now dead opponent’s shirt and pressed it against Dana’s wound. She had already pulled the blade fragment out before he could not stop her. The wound was jagged and bubbled every time she exhaled making it very difficult to apply pressure to without cutting off more of her already limited air supply. Dana tried to speak, but only spat blood.
“I need some help here!”
“Busy! Killing!” Edge had heard his plea, but was still engaged with multiple enemies.
It was nearly impossible to tell how much blood loss was affecting her with her pigmentation already being so pale, but Solaire was certain she would not survive if he could not get the bleeding to stop. “Hey, stay with me. Listen, I’m going to have to clamp off the bleeding, it is going to feel like I am choking you, you may even pass out, but I have to.”
Dana nodded, tears already streaming from her pale eyes. With a quick glace to make sure no one else would attack for a few seconds, Solaire pressed the bloody rag hard against the wound and could feel her erratic pulse. Dana took a few more labored breaths, punching Solaire’s shoulder a few times, but he held firmly. She was beginning to blackout and slowly, the teenager released pressure waiting a few heart beats to see if the wound would begin to spill her precious blood once more.
“I think I got it.” The gushing had ceased and neither dared remove the cloth in case the wound ruptured again. Solaire pressed his dagger into her free hand. “Stay as still as you can, I’m going to get help.” She nodded and understood.
Solaire brandished his sword once again and leapt after the closest Kanarian that had been trying to slip a strike pass the First Knight thus far unsuccessfully. The vermillion halfling ran the unawares raider through and kicked him off the blade. Without hesitation, he engaged the next closest, but Edge dispatched the rest with only a few strokes thanks to the distraction.
“I didn’t need your help.”
“But I need yours.”
The First Knight nodded, they needed to end this. “Forget the wagon.”
“What?”
“You want to save your son, you want to save your own damn life? Then you listen to me and follow orders! We need to finish the job, close the circle and put these dogs down. Do you understand me?”
Solaire glance back at the wagon once more, then at Dana who was gripping the dagger in one hand and hold her neck with the other. She had overheard the conversation and nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
“Make them yield or make them die.” Edge returned to the fray. “Tighten the circle! Bring them in! Hold the lines, hold the lines!”
Palco and Gorbane were cousins and made similar mistakes in life as well ones uniquely their own. But if they had the time to answer the question, what was the biggest mistake they had made in life, it would be taking the offer to come to the North Lands.
Palco, darker than his brown-orange cousin drove his fist into a Darlander’s face, feeling teeth give way from the blow. “We are surrounded!”
“And here they called you the smart one,” said Gorbane fending for his life against a spunky yellow female with two long knives.
Palco added his sword to the fight, forcing Janna to defend against them both. “We need a distraction or if nothing else a parting gift.”
“Suggestions?”
Palco’s face split in a savage, toothy grin. “Cover me.”
Gorbane growled, bull rushing Janna. The petite knight dodged, but was out of throwing knives to stop the other Kanarian from looting a bow and quiver of arrows from a slain pirate.
Janna had half expected the charge, but unlike the near dozen other raiders she had already killed that day the orange and brown one before her was actually good with a blade. He had even deflected her last throwing knife before having to draw her dual knives to defend herself. It took well honed concentration to parry fast strikes from two weapons as well as keep an eye on her surroundings and the other Kanarian who had just procured a bow. Having already been shot once, in the face no less, the LTC had no desire for a repeat.
“Bradigan! Arrows!”
The other sub commander moved to strike down a deadly attack before it could begin, but was blocked. The other pirates had heard the call for cover and were just as desperate for a plan, any plan. Bradigan and Janna both watched Palco dump out the quiver and seize a pouch wrapped arrow, the bow, and strike stone. Janna called the danger out first.
“Flame arrow!”
Palco struck the stone against the remaining exposed steel tip with professional archer speed, the pouch igniting after the third strike. The bow was primed and the arrow released no more than three seconds after the fire began. He already knew his intended target, the range, and the ensuing panic it would cause.
Solaire watched a Kanarian roll, claim something under foot, too many bodies in the way to be certain what it was. His eyes having to return to the Kanarian who was giving a knight not much older than himself trouble. The halfling’s ears twitched and his guard fell at the sound of Lieutenant Commander Janna’s warning of a flame arrow. Solaire’s honey brown eyes went wide.
The grass was dry, but most of the trees were still far too green to burn well or fast. Underbrush would burn, but certainly not enough for a good distraction. There was only one thing within range that would burn fast and well. I watched the arrow fly out of the enclosing circle, over the heads and wings of every Darlander in its path. I was too far away and even Dana tried to reach for it, but was not even close. The canvas side of the wagon tore like paper and the arrow struck gods’ know what, but struck it did.
There is truly no sound more horrifying than that of an individual burning to death. It is, in my opinion, one of the most horrible ways to die. The sound of children burning with no way to run or free themselves is one hundred times worse. I still have nightmares of it.
Solaire screamed and dashed for the wagon. Edge quickly slashed the knees of his distracted enemy and followed, turning back for a moment to shout, “Janna! Close the circle!”
The tiny flame erupted into a roaring blaze in a matter of seconds. Solaire fell back as a flammable substance, probably alcohol, ignited, spilling flame to every corner of the wagon and the grass below. Edge pulled Solaire back, but the teen continued to struggle and thrash about. A second explosion shattered the wagon, the remains falling into what could only be called a pyre. The screams ceased, at least those from inside the fire.
Solaire screamed, not a word or a curse, but a guttural raw release of emotion. He screamed until his throat could bear the damage no more, but his eyes continued to pour and his entire body convulsed. Edge held the boy close to keep him from reaching out to the flames again, offering no words, none would be enough anyhow. It was not until the sound of laughing over the crackling of wood did Edge stand, his green eyes burning more hotly that the core of a star.
“Look at ‘em burn! HAHAHAHA!!!!”
The remaining Kanarians had been surrounded, slaughtered, and held at a steel tip, the last few finally throwing down their weapons. Even of the thirty that remained they had only given up reluctantly. Only one among them seemed happy with himself.
“Since we’re all dead at least I got the last laugh!”
Janna marched through the circle of knights, having to look up at the dark burnt orange Kanarian. The toothy grin never left his face even with hands behind his head in surrender. In one smooth motion Janna stabbed his esophagus, the grin instantly disappearing from his face. The raider gasped for air, but only sucked in blood, the bubbling red liquid staining his shirt and chest hair.
“Still laughing?”
Palco convulsed and thrashed about for air for several minutes until finally falling still. Edge returned to the corralled prisoners, kindly forcing Solaire to sit on an old stump by the path so that he could keep the boy in sight. The teenager did so, but only because his mind was too far gone to protest.
The first knight growled at the sight of the prisoners, sword still in hand, he turned to his commanders. “How many?”
Janna reluctantly sheathed her knives. Her face had started bleeding again, but made no move to stem the oozing. “I counted thirty… twenty nine now. We lost five and have two severely injured who need attention or we may lose them as well. No other injuries worth mentioning.”
“Without the wagon or any other mobile transport it will be difficult to move so many prisoners and our injured.”
Edge’s gaze was one of razors. Bradigan took a step back from the deadly stare. “Move the prisoners? You think I give a damn about moving prisoners when I have people bleeding out and burning bones of innocent children?!”
“We came to save the children, yes, but we also came to get answers otherwise everyone died for nothing.”
“Answers? Why don’t you answer me some questions, Sub Commander Bradigan? For starters, how the hell you managed to miss an entire fleet of raiders coming at us armed with gods-be-damned explosive weaponry?!”
Bradigan balked. Edge pointing his still blood stained sword at the Darlander intelligence officer did not help.
“I tried, Sir Tolson, I tried to tell you and the prince, and his highness. I put as many clues together as possible, but no one could have seen this, not on this scale! If you will lower your weapon I can interrogate them and get to the bottom of this.”
“Oh really?” Edge turned back to the prisoners and grabbed one by his chest hairs and pulled him forward, ignoring his yelp at the painful jerking. “Fine, let’s find out what they know, shall we? Who hired you?”
The Kanarian remained silent.
“Who gave you the weapons? Was it King Barrcus? I know you’re a damn westie I heard most of you talking earlier so answer me!” The Kanarian remained silent, his eyes on his feet. Without preamble or remorse Edge slashed the prisoner’s throat wide open. Unlike the one Janna stabbed, the young raider died quickly, eyes wide and gagging.
Edge grabbed another from the group, their façade of defiance shattered. Like a predator on the hunt the First Knight had selected by grabbing the slowest one to flinch. “How about you? Feeling knowledgeable?
“Please, I… I’m no one!”
“Commander Tolson, stop this!” Bradigan pleaded.
Edge did not care to acknowledge his subordinate. “Well if you want to save your head, No one, you better give me some answers right now. I am not asking for a novel, I just want names, places, something solid.”
“I… can’t!”
“Too bad for you.” Edge slashed his throat as well.
“Commander Tolson you cannot do this!”
Edge leveled his sword at Bradigan’s face, the LTC raising his hands and keeping in step with his commander’s advances. “Oh can’t I?”
“They will not tell you anything if they know they are going to die anyhow!”
“THEY DON’T KNOW ANYTHING! They are nothing but a bunch of thugs, prisoners, scum that was offered up as fodder for our steel. The only ones who did know are all dead floating in the harbor or being eaten by fish!”
“We have laws that−”
“THE LAW?! You think I don’t know the laws of my country?!” Edge marched back over to the encircled Kanarians. “You are all in violation of the Treaty of Fletcher. The articles of the treaty were signed by the four kings nearly fifty years ago banning the use of projectile powder based weaponry as a tool of war on land or sea. It was deemed that the weapon was so catastrophic to a population that only a demon would wrought such death and destruction upon other souls. There is only one punishment for individuals caught using such weapons upon another, death.
“However, I am feeling a bit generous and just to prove a point to my ignorant subordinate, if anyone of you pricks will offer me a solid piece of information regarding who ordered this attack I will grant mercy and see to it that you spend the rest of your life in the Devil’s Gully. That’s food and shelter and a sea breeze for the rest of your murderous life, or you can die here and float down the river so I don’t have to smell you rotting on the pathway.”
No one said anything as they all shifted about. Edge nodded matter-of-factly. “Very well then, prepare to move the−”
“Commander please!”
“You’re relived of your position.”
“Commander Tolson, I must protest!”
“Janna, get that piece of shit to move our injured as best you can and take them back to the city. I want him out of my sight.” Edge raised his voice so all would be able to hear his address. “Anyone who does not wish to participate in what is about to happen next may leave to return to Iris, no punishment or ill will be leaned towards you, lord knows they need all the help they can get there.” Two knights, a male and a female, stepped forward to help lift Dana to her feet.
“All I heard was the captain mention a Thane, it had to me a name!” Edge glanced back at the Kanarians. Judging by the surprised and betrayed looks on their faces and the harsh hisses of silence it had to be at least someone reliable intel.
“Did that captain have a name? Give me that name and you will live, you have my word.”
“Barver.”
Edge pulled the dark redwood colored raider from the group, marching him over to Janna. The First Knight bound the Kanarian and sat him on the grass.
“Janna, please see reason, I did the best I could,” pleaded Bradigan, his stonewall façade completely shattered.
“You want to stay on my good side, carry Cassus and keep what’s left of his arm elevated and shut the fuck up.” Janna’s eyes locked with her commander’s. “Do what you have to do.”
“You should take the boy with you; he burned his hands trying to reach the wagon.”
“No,” Solaire finally spoke, raising his head. “I need to see this.”
Edge nodded. “Wrap those hands and start preparing our dead for carrying, they are coming home.” Solaire did so without question.
Other things going on... work they changed our service times in Magnolia, which use to be extrended area, meaning more delivery time. This has been kind of a both good and bad thing. Good in that it makes customers happy, bad that it means I have to rethink how I do the route, but as a consolation they took a chunk of area away so as to make it smaller and more managble. It hought I would be getting home later because of it, but it works out to be about the same so that's fine.
The last thing I read was Gears of War: Coalitions End... I will do a review some time later, but I will say this espcially to Trey (Syphh) you soooo need to read the books in the Gears of War series. They really help understand the world and the characters making them more dimensional and fills in the massive holes that take place between Gears 2 and 3.
Kaitlin is fine, had a few sniffles, but then kids always do. She is picking up a few bad additude points such as throwing things at me and other temper tantrum antics, but then she is almost 2 so that will happen as I am told.
Finally, we have a sizable story part, hence the long delay. Enjoy!
No one was surprised to see me standing among the volunteers and no one questioned it. I was only one of three volunteers who was not a knight. Edge selected me for his group so that he could keep an eye on me and I appreciated it, we were both hurting in ways words failed to describe and needed to watch each other’s back. I think what amazed all of us was how quickly the fleeing Kanarians had made it to the cover of the foothill forest without leaving stragglers, as if they knew the only chance they had was to stick together. I would have felt a sense of respect for the bastards had they not already taken so much from me. Instead, all it meant were more footprints and an easily followed trail to see from the air. We caught up to the column in no time. There is only one word to describe the battle that ensued among those trees next to the Hobthorn River fork… ruthless.
Darlanders were born to fly; the wings were there for a reason after all. There was always that one in a million who had something happen or some twitch in their brain that made them deathly afraid to fly, but that was, one could imagine, as rare as a fish that hated water. Still, for a species that was born to rule the air over all flying creatures Darlanders were not actually the most graceful flyers in a formation. Add in fatigue and bulky weapons and armor and sometimes two individuals would bounce off one another. It was often a running joke among hecklers, but no one would laugh if the clatter had alerted their fleeing prey.
Edge growled, glancing over his shoulder, a civilian with a pike who obviously had not ever flown with it before had crashed into a young knight and they were about to tear into one another, but his hot razor glance had cut them both short. With a gesture he ordered the groups to break off, Janna and Bradigan taking their volunteers a different direction to prepare the assault drop.
The foliage was still reasonably thick considering it had already begun changing color and soon would brown for the coming harvest season. The shadows below would mask most if their approach, but not indefinitely.
Palco knew he would never see home again. He accepted that, but that did not mean he wanted to die either. A few of the others had come up with a plan to hide out and lie low in the forest, then build some rafts to launch at night and try to ride the currents down to the shipping lanes out at sea.
“The wagon is slowing us down.”
Palco glanced over his shoulder. The wagon was near the back of the column and loaded with stolen supplies and food, but also several crying Darlander children. He was not sure how much longer he could stand the screaming.
The brown and orange Kanarian spoke again. “We should leave it, we are out of the city.”
“It’s the only thing keeping those wingos off our hairy backsides. If you don’t like it just do the rest of us a favor and go run off that way and die.”
There was a whoosh sound followed by a rustling of trees and snapping of small branches causing the column to stop moving and all the side conversations to cease. Palco and Gorbane had caught sight of what had created the forward movement to stop, a sword stabbed into the ground still slightly wobbling. A moment later, a black cherry Darlander landed and grabbed the sword.
“I have only been given one opportunity to say this. Surrender your weapons and the children and your lives will be spared.”
“KILL THE FURLESS PRAT!”
The Kanarian who shouted the battle cry was only able to draw his weapon half way from the scabbard before he fell to the ground, an arrow sticking out of his chest.
“Pity.”
Bradigan leapt forward, attacking his closest target, the rest of his squad dropped from the trees surrounding the front of the column. With the river to northeast and thicker underbrush to the south the pirates had nowhere to scatter to safety.
Darlanders rained through the trees with weapons ready, not an ounce of compassion in a single eye. Solaire slashed downward, his target letting loose a painful scream before crumpling over still. He spotted the stolen wagon sitting a short distance away and started for it when another Kanarian slashed at him.
Solaire roared, parrying and shoving the raider away. “Get out of my way!” The teenager only managed a few more steps before being pounced by the same Kanarian. Solaire’s dropped his sword as the two rolled on the dirt and grass, exchanging brutal punches and kicks. Others were not fairing much better. The rescue party had guessed they would be outnumbered, but underestimated how many had fled. Now, the element of surprise was gone and many knights were finding themselves defending against more than one enemy. Edge was somehow keeping five of them occupied. Solaire lost sight of what was going on around as his attacker pulled a knife and tried to stab downward.
“Half breeds got no right to live. Should never have come after us.”
Solaire struggled to hold the knife back against the heavier Kanarian, shifting about. “And you should never have taken my son.” The halfling drove his knee spur into his assailant’s crotch. The knife came free as the Kanarian screamed. Solaire seized the weapon and stabbed his opponent in the throat. Half a breath later another Kanarian wound back to slice at Solaire’s head. The teen had only turned his eyes to the new threat when Janna tackled the would-be attacker feet first, stabbing his chest with both her long knives and propelled herself into a back flip over Solaire. She landed perfectly on the shoulders of another raider driving him into the ground. The long knives did their job quickly.
Janna’s ice blue eyes burn through the still dazed teenager. “Stay on your feet or in the air. Play to your speed and strengths, not theirs.” It was all the advice she could give before tossing a throwing knife at a Kanarian foolish enough to stand still.
Solaire retrieved his sword, keeping his eyes moving as he continued once again for the wagon. He only made it a few steps closer before having to help others against desperate and ferocious opponents. It was generally a good rule of combat not to ever corner a desperate enemy. Much like an animal being hunted, people reverted to their most basic animal instincts to survive and no one was above clawing or biting if it meant getting the upper hand in such a fight.
“Thanks for the help,” said the bone white knight he had met earlier, he recalled her name was Dana. The pair stood back to back, parrying and striking at any opening that presented itself.
“We need to keep them away from the wagon.”
“I think they are more interested in us.” Dana dodged and stabbed the overstretched Kanarian in the ribs. He screamed and rolled away, her sword still protruding from his side. Dana backed over Solaire, their tails and feet becoming tangled.
“Gotcha!”
Solaire slashed back at the approaching dagger, fracturing the poor metal and cutting up the arm of the black and red pirate.
Dana unsheathed Solaire’s dagger she knew he kept on the back of his belt and jumped to her feet, kicking the injured attacker in the face. “You keep saving my life. I don’t know how I am going to repay you.”
“By staying alive. These damn dogs were trying to kill our women and children, that’s why they are coming after you so hard.”
The pale Darlander growled, her pearl colored eyes more red than they were a moment before. “Monsters. Bloody damn monsters. You’re right, let’s make for the wagon, I will cover you. If we can move it from the battle no one else will have to concern themselves with it.”
Solaire nodded and made to step over the Kanarian whose arm he had cut open. He felt the teeth sink into his lower calf all the way to the bones. Dana kicked the Kanarian repeatedly, finally having to drop to her knees and pry his jaw open. Solaire growled, examining the puncture wounds. The damage was minimal, but throbbing painful.
“Give me your hand, I’ll brace you.”
“BEHIND YOU!”
Training took over as Dana made to block a strike she did not see. The beaten, bleeding and desperate Kanarian had found a fragment of his broken knife and stabbed Dana in the throat. Solaire retrieved his dagger as both of the female Darlander’s hands clamped her bleeding neck. Mercilessly, Solaire stabbed the raider until he was certain he would not come back for another strike.
After a moment’s pause Solaire tore a length of fabric from his now dead opponent’s shirt and pressed it against Dana’s wound. She had already pulled the blade fragment out before he could not stop her. The wound was jagged and bubbled every time she exhaled making it very difficult to apply pressure to without cutting off more of her already limited air supply. Dana tried to speak, but only spat blood.
“I need some help here!”
“Busy! Killing!” Edge had heard his plea, but was still engaged with multiple enemies.
It was nearly impossible to tell how much blood loss was affecting her with her pigmentation already being so pale, but Solaire was certain she would not survive if he could not get the bleeding to stop. “Hey, stay with me. Listen, I’m going to have to clamp off the bleeding, it is going to feel like I am choking you, you may even pass out, but I have to.”
Dana nodded, tears already streaming from her pale eyes. With a quick glace to make sure no one else would attack for a few seconds, Solaire pressed the bloody rag hard against the wound and could feel her erratic pulse. Dana took a few more labored breaths, punching Solaire’s shoulder a few times, but he held firmly. She was beginning to blackout and slowly, the teenager released pressure waiting a few heart beats to see if the wound would begin to spill her precious blood once more.
“I think I got it.” The gushing had ceased and neither dared remove the cloth in case the wound ruptured again. Solaire pressed his dagger into her free hand. “Stay as still as you can, I’m going to get help.” She nodded and understood.
Solaire brandished his sword once again and leapt after the closest Kanarian that had been trying to slip a strike pass the First Knight thus far unsuccessfully. The vermillion halfling ran the unawares raider through and kicked him off the blade. Without hesitation, he engaged the next closest, but Edge dispatched the rest with only a few strokes thanks to the distraction.
“I didn’t need your help.”
“But I need yours.”
The First Knight nodded, they needed to end this. “Forget the wagon.”
“What?”
“You want to save your son, you want to save your own damn life? Then you listen to me and follow orders! We need to finish the job, close the circle and put these dogs down. Do you understand me?”
Solaire glance back at the wagon once more, then at Dana who was gripping the dagger in one hand and hold her neck with the other. She had overheard the conversation and nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
“Make them yield or make them die.” Edge returned to the fray. “Tighten the circle! Bring them in! Hold the lines, hold the lines!”
Palco and Gorbane were cousins and made similar mistakes in life as well ones uniquely their own. But if they had the time to answer the question, what was the biggest mistake they had made in life, it would be taking the offer to come to the North Lands.
Palco, darker than his brown-orange cousin drove his fist into a Darlander’s face, feeling teeth give way from the blow. “We are surrounded!”
“And here they called you the smart one,” said Gorbane fending for his life against a spunky yellow female with two long knives.
Palco added his sword to the fight, forcing Janna to defend against them both. “We need a distraction or if nothing else a parting gift.”
“Suggestions?”
Palco’s face split in a savage, toothy grin. “Cover me.”
Gorbane growled, bull rushing Janna. The petite knight dodged, but was out of throwing knives to stop the other Kanarian from looting a bow and quiver of arrows from a slain pirate.
Janna had half expected the charge, but unlike the near dozen other raiders she had already killed that day the orange and brown one before her was actually good with a blade. He had even deflected her last throwing knife before having to draw her dual knives to defend herself. It took well honed concentration to parry fast strikes from two weapons as well as keep an eye on her surroundings and the other Kanarian who had just procured a bow. Having already been shot once, in the face no less, the LTC had no desire for a repeat.
“Bradigan! Arrows!”
The other sub commander moved to strike down a deadly attack before it could begin, but was blocked. The other pirates had heard the call for cover and were just as desperate for a plan, any plan. Bradigan and Janna both watched Palco dump out the quiver and seize a pouch wrapped arrow, the bow, and strike stone. Janna called the danger out first.
“Flame arrow!”
Palco struck the stone against the remaining exposed steel tip with professional archer speed, the pouch igniting after the third strike. The bow was primed and the arrow released no more than three seconds after the fire began. He already knew his intended target, the range, and the ensuing panic it would cause.
Solaire watched a Kanarian roll, claim something under foot, too many bodies in the way to be certain what it was. His eyes having to return to the Kanarian who was giving a knight not much older than himself trouble. The halfling’s ears twitched and his guard fell at the sound of Lieutenant Commander Janna’s warning of a flame arrow. Solaire’s honey brown eyes went wide.
The grass was dry, but most of the trees were still far too green to burn well or fast. Underbrush would burn, but certainly not enough for a good distraction. There was only one thing within range that would burn fast and well. I watched the arrow fly out of the enclosing circle, over the heads and wings of every Darlander in its path. I was too far away and even Dana tried to reach for it, but was not even close. The canvas side of the wagon tore like paper and the arrow struck gods’ know what, but struck it did.
There is truly no sound more horrifying than that of an individual burning to death. It is, in my opinion, one of the most horrible ways to die. The sound of children burning with no way to run or free themselves is one hundred times worse. I still have nightmares of it.
Solaire screamed and dashed for the wagon. Edge quickly slashed the knees of his distracted enemy and followed, turning back for a moment to shout, “Janna! Close the circle!”
The tiny flame erupted into a roaring blaze in a matter of seconds. Solaire fell back as a flammable substance, probably alcohol, ignited, spilling flame to every corner of the wagon and the grass below. Edge pulled Solaire back, but the teen continued to struggle and thrash about. A second explosion shattered the wagon, the remains falling into what could only be called a pyre. The screams ceased, at least those from inside the fire.
Solaire screamed, not a word or a curse, but a guttural raw release of emotion. He screamed until his throat could bear the damage no more, but his eyes continued to pour and his entire body convulsed. Edge held the boy close to keep him from reaching out to the flames again, offering no words, none would be enough anyhow. It was not until the sound of laughing over the crackling of wood did Edge stand, his green eyes burning more hotly that the core of a star.
“Look at ‘em burn! HAHAHAHA!!!!”
The remaining Kanarians had been surrounded, slaughtered, and held at a steel tip, the last few finally throwing down their weapons. Even of the thirty that remained they had only given up reluctantly. Only one among them seemed happy with himself.
“Since we’re all dead at least I got the last laugh!”
Janna marched through the circle of knights, having to look up at the dark burnt orange Kanarian. The toothy grin never left his face even with hands behind his head in surrender. In one smooth motion Janna stabbed his esophagus, the grin instantly disappearing from his face. The raider gasped for air, but only sucked in blood, the bubbling red liquid staining his shirt and chest hair.
“Still laughing?”
Palco convulsed and thrashed about for air for several minutes until finally falling still. Edge returned to the corralled prisoners, kindly forcing Solaire to sit on an old stump by the path so that he could keep the boy in sight. The teenager did so, but only because his mind was too far gone to protest.
The first knight growled at the sight of the prisoners, sword still in hand, he turned to his commanders. “How many?”
Janna reluctantly sheathed her knives. Her face had started bleeding again, but made no move to stem the oozing. “I counted thirty… twenty nine now. We lost five and have two severely injured who need attention or we may lose them as well. No other injuries worth mentioning.”
“Without the wagon or any other mobile transport it will be difficult to move so many prisoners and our injured.”
Edge’s gaze was one of razors. Bradigan took a step back from the deadly stare. “Move the prisoners? You think I give a damn about moving prisoners when I have people bleeding out and burning bones of innocent children?!”
“We came to save the children, yes, but we also came to get answers otherwise everyone died for nothing.”
“Answers? Why don’t you answer me some questions, Sub Commander Bradigan? For starters, how the hell you managed to miss an entire fleet of raiders coming at us armed with gods-be-damned explosive weaponry?!”
Bradigan balked. Edge pointing his still blood stained sword at the Darlander intelligence officer did not help.
“I tried, Sir Tolson, I tried to tell you and the prince, and his highness. I put as many clues together as possible, but no one could have seen this, not on this scale! If you will lower your weapon I can interrogate them and get to the bottom of this.”
“Oh really?” Edge turned back to the prisoners and grabbed one by his chest hairs and pulled him forward, ignoring his yelp at the painful jerking. “Fine, let’s find out what they know, shall we? Who hired you?”
The Kanarian remained silent.
“Who gave you the weapons? Was it King Barrcus? I know you’re a damn westie I heard most of you talking earlier so answer me!” The Kanarian remained silent, his eyes on his feet. Without preamble or remorse Edge slashed the prisoner’s throat wide open. Unlike the one Janna stabbed, the young raider died quickly, eyes wide and gagging.
Edge grabbed another from the group, their façade of defiance shattered. Like a predator on the hunt the First Knight had selected by grabbing the slowest one to flinch. “How about you? Feeling knowledgeable?
“Please, I… I’m no one!”
“Commander Tolson, stop this!” Bradigan pleaded.
Edge did not care to acknowledge his subordinate. “Well if you want to save your head, No one, you better give me some answers right now. I am not asking for a novel, I just want names, places, something solid.”
“I… can’t!”
“Too bad for you.” Edge slashed his throat as well.
“Commander Tolson you cannot do this!”
Edge leveled his sword at Bradigan’s face, the LTC raising his hands and keeping in step with his commander’s advances. “Oh can’t I?”
“They will not tell you anything if they know they are going to die anyhow!”
“THEY DON’T KNOW ANYTHING! They are nothing but a bunch of thugs, prisoners, scum that was offered up as fodder for our steel. The only ones who did know are all dead floating in the harbor or being eaten by fish!”
“We have laws that−”
“THE LAW?! You think I don’t know the laws of my country?!” Edge marched back over to the encircled Kanarians. “You are all in violation of the Treaty of Fletcher. The articles of the treaty were signed by the four kings nearly fifty years ago banning the use of projectile powder based weaponry as a tool of war on land or sea. It was deemed that the weapon was so catastrophic to a population that only a demon would wrought such death and destruction upon other souls. There is only one punishment for individuals caught using such weapons upon another, death.
“However, I am feeling a bit generous and just to prove a point to my ignorant subordinate, if anyone of you pricks will offer me a solid piece of information regarding who ordered this attack I will grant mercy and see to it that you spend the rest of your life in the Devil’s Gully. That’s food and shelter and a sea breeze for the rest of your murderous life, or you can die here and float down the river so I don’t have to smell you rotting on the pathway.”
No one said anything as they all shifted about. Edge nodded matter-of-factly. “Very well then, prepare to move the−”
“Commander please!”
“You’re relived of your position.”
“Commander Tolson, I must protest!”
“Janna, get that piece of shit to move our injured as best you can and take them back to the city. I want him out of my sight.” Edge raised his voice so all would be able to hear his address. “Anyone who does not wish to participate in what is about to happen next may leave to return to Iris, no punishment or ill will be leaned towards you, lord knows they need all the help they can get there.” Two knights, a male and a female, stepped forward to help lift Dana to her feet.
“All I heard was the captain mention a Thane, it had to me a name!” Edge glanced back at the Kanarians. Judging by the surprised and betrayed looks on their faces and the harsh hisses of silence it had to be at least someone reliable intel.
“Did that captain have a name? Give me that name and you will live, you have my word.”
“Barver.”
Edge pulled the dark redwood colored raider from the group, marching him over to Janna. The First Knight bound the Kanarian and sat him on the grass.
“Janna, please see reason, I did the best I could,” pleaded Bradigan, his stonewall façade completely shattered.
“You want to stay on my good side, carry Cassus and keep what’s left of his arm elevated and shut the fuck up.” Janna’s eyes locked with her commander’s. “Do what you have to do.”
“You should take the boy with you; he burned his hands trying to reach the wagon.”
“No,” Solaire finally spoke, raising his head. “I need to see this.”
Edge nodded. “Wrap those hands and start preparing our dead for carrying, they are coming home.” Solaire did so without question.