Whew, sorry it took so long to update! I've been so busy I haven't been able to write. Err...this one has mature content, by the way, so watch your eyes kiddies
These Strange Creatures
888 T.E.
We had managed to catch up to Aera on the way back and even though we all took turns carrying the corpse, all three of us had emptied our stomachs of their contents long before we even reached thing's smell felt as if it had sunk into my skin and that no amount of scrubbing or bathing will ever make me feel clean again. To add insult to the injury, Jan had developed an annoying habit of looking at me every few seconds and sniggering behind his hand.
I had been walking in this forest for Maker-knows-how-long and had been doing so for the past hour with a corpse hanging on my back. I was not in the mood for frivolity.
"One word, Jan," I swore. "One word and you'll be carrying this thing all the way back to camp,"
Despite my warning Jan still sniggered annoyingly. "You know, Malcolm, it wouldn't be so bad if you just imagine you were carrying me back to the barracks after a hard night of drinking," he paused. "For me, anyway. Malcolm doesn't drink," he explained to Aera with a sly glance at me.
"You make me sound like a crusty old Revered Mother," I grunted. Aera, however, did not rise to my friend's bait but instead gently replied, "I think that it will be very easy for Malcolm to pretend that the thing on his back is Jan who passed out drunk; they should smell just about the same,"
Maker bless her.
I couldn't help but laugh at the annoyed expression on Jan's face as he protested, "Hey! I don't smell that bad,"
Suddenly though, Aera stopped smiling and froze. Her back stiffened and all traces of humor vanished from her face. Her dark eyes swept across the forest floor as if in search of invisible enemies.
"Aera, what is it?" My throat felt unusually dry as I spoke.
"Shut up,"
I shut up. Was Aera feeling the same unease that I felt a while ago? Was it possible that someone was following us?
Something?
Briefly, I calculated the time it would take for me to reach my sword should some sort of dwarven warriors come down on us.
Do I have time to reach my shield if the same arrows that had taken the monster's life seek to end ours?
How long would it take me to jump in front of my friends and block the projectiles?
Too long…too long…I let the corpse drop from my shoulders to give me better access to my shield. I gritted my teeth as Jan and I waited for the scout's verdict, watching her as she slowly spun in place, surveying the forest with an almost frightening intensity.
My muscles felt as tight as lute strings, just waiting to be plucked.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jan draw the silverite daggers that usually hung from his hip belt. I did the same and readied my shield. My friend slowly edged away from me, circling around Aera, who was still scanning the forest as a mouse scans an open field; sure that there's an owl lurking in the shadows, waiting to visit death upon it.
I realized that without meaning to, both of us moved into a defensive position around Aera.
It was not because we had no respect for her as a warrior, I had a healthy respect for her skills with a crossbow, it was because of the three of us, she had the lightest armor, the most easily penetrated—
The crunch of dried leaves underneath someone's boot alerted me to a presence.
My body reacted before my mind did and I threw up my shield just in time for it to intercept a weapon that bounced off it with a clang. Something that sounded like a cross between a bear's battle roar and the squeal of a wild boar erupted from the other side of my shield. The same stench that came from the creature I was carrying only moments before now rushed to assault me. No dwarves, I thought. We were being attacked by those things.
I was profusely grateful that I had been given a split-second to brace myself against my opponent's frightening countenance.
Had I seen it immediately, I doubt I would have kept my wits.
Behind me, Jan's scream confirmed the effect of seeing the monster up close.
"Get out of here, Aera! Shoot them from afar!" I shouted, all thoughts of being quiet vanishing. I needed to bring those things down on me, away from Jan and Aera. I saw the scout sprint away from the immediate danger zone. A dark figure sprung from the other side of my shield to follow her, thinking quickly, I slammed my shield against its body, watching it fall flat on its back. My shield arm ached from the impact.
The thing's head reared up to scream at me, its white, dead eyes gazing sightlessly at me. The skin of its face looked as if it were stitched together from a hundred different human skins. By someone who was none too skilled with a needle, as well.
A patchwork nightmare.
Inside, I am screaming.
The monster leaped to its feet with surprising dexterity. With two small daggers glistening in each hand, the thing pounced at me.
I swung my sword in front of me and managed to block it. The impact rattled my arm. But instead of leaping back as I expected it to, the monster rushed forward forcing me to be the one to step back, keeping my distance. I saw what it was doing.
Longswords like mine are not good at close quarters, daggers are; I wasn't going to give it that sort of advantage.
We circled each other, the world closing itsef off and leacing just the two of us.
I could see it all the more clearly now, the blisters on its patchwork face, the battle scars.
A warrior, like me.
Then die a warrior, I thought furiously. I lunged, sword pointing straight ahead. The monster raised the dagger to block my attack—too slow! The tip of my blade sank into the base of its throat. Black blood spewed out of the open wound and the creature's stench surrounded me again
I pulled back and slashed again at its throat. Ichor gushed out from the wound like a grotesque fountain.
Too long…too long…I took too long.
My friends need me. I whirled around to find Jan locked in a dead dance with another one of the things. This one was taller and stronger by the looks of it. It was furiously swinging a gigantic sword at Jan, who was barely keeping out of the way.
"Jan!" I yelled, more to attract our adversary's attention than my friend's. It worked and in the split-second it took the monster to glance in my direction, Jan had rammed his knee in its crotch.
Despite its alien quality, I couldn't help but feel a stab of empathy as I watch its face turn slakc. A strangled sob escaped its mouth, a sound that was soon cut off when Jan's dagger slid across it throat like a hot knife through butter. The monster sank to its knees, its hands reaching to try and staunch the river that flowed from its wound. A dying wail was the only sound it could make.
In that moment, it looked so very, very human. Jan grinned in triumph.
"Two down, oh yeah. We are awe—"
A scream sliced through the air, sharper than any weapon I wielded.
Aera's.
Without needing to speak, Jan and I whirled to locate the source. Just a few feet away from us, her crossbow lying forgotten at her feet was Aera. Although I couldn't see her expression, the fear that radiated off her was unmistakable. She swung her hands wildly, as if to ward off invisible foes.
"Aera!" Jan's voice was shrill, frightened. I took one step in her direction.
And my world explosed in pain as fire consumed my entire being.
I fell to my knees, every nerve in my body dancing with pain. The smell of burned flesh threatened to choke me. It took me several long moments to understand that it was my own flesh I smelled.
A harsh, animal laugh echoed across the clearing. My heart leapt to my throat.
A monster's face loomed above mine.
Its mouth was tilted upward in a mocking smile. Its face was just as terrible as the others before it but its eyes held a glimmer of intelligence that neither of its companion's eyes had. With a flash of fear, I realized that this monster was something more than bloodlust and animal instinct. On its back, a staff as dark as night.
Highlighted by the light of the clearing, it seemed to block out everything else.
Mage. Fear made my breath come out in rattling gasps. What was it going to do?
It held out a scarred claw towards me, poised as if to rip my eyes out of their sockets.
Was it going to kill me? Jan? Aera? No, no, I couldn't allow it to do that. My hand tightened to a fist and I realized that I was still holding sword when my fingers screamed in protest as they embraced the rough surface of the hilt. I blinked back at the monster that was smiling at me.
At this distance, if I swung my sword, I could do serious damage, even through the makeshift mail it was wearing.
If only I could lift my arm…
Before I could even do anything, pain shot through me and I screamed as I felt the skin on chest split open and blood spurt out of the wound. No, not spurting, it was flying, right into the open hand of the monster. I watched as the blood—my blood—evaporates and disappears.
The monster raised its staff and lightning burst on its tip.
Shit.
The shock of the scene galvanized me into action, I gripped the hilt of my sword, my muscles screaming in protest. The silverite sword tore easily throught the mail, slicing the flesh underneath. My opponent leapt back with a scream of pain.
I struggled to my feet, the pain in my chest dulling my senses. I couldn't help but feel a surge of vicious triumph as I saw the creature's blood staining its mail.
But before I could attack again, my opponent turned tail and ran.
Ranged attacks. Of course.
I gave chase.
No point in picking up my shield, I wouldn't be able to use it properly in my weakened state anyway. Even as I ran, the distance between me and the monster increased, my movements feeling frustratingly slow and uncoordinated, as if I was running through water. Every part of me ached.
But I couldn't let go too far, far enough to use another spell on me. Just when the thought ran through my mind, my adversary whirled around. Fire burst to life in its hand.
Maker help me.
I braced myself for the fire, knowing that I could not possibly withstand the impact. I thought of the shield I had so stupidly dismissed.
And saw the creature's head snap back violently. I saw it drop to its knees with an arrow lodged firmly in its eye, the fire on its fingertips sizzling and vanishing.
The fear in my chest vanished. An arrow saved. An arrow. I turned around with a joyous cry of "Aera!" expecting to see that wonderful, wonderful scout holding her weapon in her hands, a cheeky grin on her face. But what I saw instead was the sight of Jan and Aera struggling to get up, the damage of the explosion earlier clearly showing on their battered bodies.
The relief was replaced by worry. I rushed to them. "Are you all right?" I asked worriedly. Judging by the grin on Jan's face, he'll live.
"Wow, Malcolm where'd you learn to throw a dagger like that?"
"Dagger?"
"Yeah, the one you just threw at that mage over there? Can you teach me?" His face was the portrait of eagerness. "I didn't throw anything. I thought Aera shot it," I glanced at her but she was shaking her head mournfully.
"I'm sorry, Malcolm but that mage…it cast a spell on me, made me see terrible things…" A shiver ran through her. "I couldn't think, much less think," She gestured at her crossbow.
Crossbow. Though I didn't know much about ranged weapons I knew that crossbows shot quarrels, not arrows.
"Who shot it then?" I demanded impatiently.
Aera looked confused, 'Who shot what, Malcolm?"
"The mage! Someone shot it before it finish its spell, I thought it was you,"
"No!" Aera was instantly alert. "Someone is here with us? In the forest?" She sprang up as she did so. Jan, however, did not share her concern.
"If someone that think for us, then he's a friend,"
Aera was murmuring soundlessly to herself and her lips formed the word, "Not exactly,"
She limped over to the boy and, feeling guilty I offered to help her walk. She batted me away as one would to puppy who follows one around a little too much.
"Stop being chivalrous, Malcolm, you can barely walk as it is," It was true, even as she spoke, I could feel myself swaying on my feet. Still, I couldn't help feeling a little less than knightly as I watched her hobble over to the corpse.
"Yeah, Malcolm, stop being so knightly," Jan jeered. He paused, then added in a false falsetto voice, "Though I won't object to you carrying me,"
"Crawl back to camp for all I care!" Despite myself I couldn't help but grin.
The smiles slid off our faces when Aera returned with the arrow that had save my life. Her face was grim as she held it up. It was made out of dark wood, polished to a luster. Hawk feathers made up for fletching and strange marking ran across its length. The same arrows we saw on the corpse we found a few hours ago.
"Someone's been hunting," Aera observed.
"Someone who saved us by putting that thing through that monster's skull," Jan persisted.
"Someone who still hasn't shown himself in spite of that fact," I supplied. Jan's lips formed a childish pout. "Aren't you optimistic? Some mystery guy saves us and what do you do? You don't trust him. Pfft. Sometimes Malcolm, you can be so boring,"
I rolled my eyes. "You're just hoping it's some big strong man who can carry you back to camp. Lazy bastard,"
"Why would I do that when I have you?"
"Piss off,"
"Boys, boys," Aera interrupted the banter with a glare that made me feel like a reproached child. "As much as I love to hear about your sordid escapades, we really have to find out who our savior is,"
Right. I recalibrated my mind, pushing myself away from Jan's jokes and Aera's voice, away from the pain. Now was not the time for Malcolm, now was the time for a leader, not a scared little man who can barely stand on his feet.
"All right, here's the plan, if the archer really is on our side then good, great. But if he's not—shut up, Jan, it's a real possibility," Jan was on the verge of opening his mouth and protesting. He shut it without comment.
"Here's the plan," I continued. "Aera, scale the trees and bring your crossbow. I want you to signal me if you see anything,"
"Right, I won't let you down this time, Malcolm," From the expression on her face, I could tell that she feeling guilty at not having given a hand earlier.
"Jan scout around the perimeter. Be ready for anything," Jan scowled in pain as he stood up.
"And what will you be doing, then?" Aera asked suspiciously.
"I'll try and talk to our savior," I grimaced at the word.
As my companions took their places, I hefted up my shield—Maker, was it always so heavy before?
I took a deep breath.
"If anyone is out there, please show yourself, I want to talk to you,"
No answer.
"I'm not here to fight, please," When the archer did not reply, I had a sudden flash of brilliance—or stupidity, call it what you may.
"We don't want to fight—look," I let my weapons fall to the ground, shield and sword clanging against the hard earth with an oddly ominous sound.
I could feel my companions' disapproval of my actions. If the archer decided to shoot at me, I knew that I was nowhere near fast enough to grab my shield.
All I had to do now was trust in the mysterious man who saved us. I held my breath.
One of the shadows moved, suddenly appearing more solid, more there. And it spoke, "Andaran atish'an, shemlen," in a voice too high to be a man's. A loud sound echoed throughout the forest as a bow hit the ground. The figure stepped into the light, its hands unbuckling a strange cloak that was draped around its shoulders.
My heart stopped.
Not a man, a woman. A woman a full foot shorter than I, one who looked at me with fever-bright blue eyes, one who barely looked older than Aera. Her face was decorated with a strange tattoo, intricate designs that swirled across her cheeks and forehead.
A woman whose silver hair didn't hide the strange shape of her ears, which tapered into pointed tips.
Not a man.
Not even a human.
An elf.
AHHHHHHH! This is supposed to be longer than it is right now but it's 2 a.m. (Yep, I usually write at the wee hours of the morning, I'm a hope insomniac, you see XD) and I have to get up at 4 a.m. to participate in a marathon and I'm really, really tired. Look, I'll just try to update sooner. As soon as possible, I promise. I hope you enjoyed! Thank you for reading!
Please review! :D
