Rose wasn't sure what to do. There were Kobolds in every direction before them, too close together to sneak by. The rocks were behind them, so they couldn't go around. Shasa appeared indecisive, too, probably thinking on which Dukaki she could slay quickly without alerting the others so they could pass.
It was then Rose heard a small noise behind her. She turned to find the Doctor quietly picking up a rock. With a powerful overhand swing, the Doctor flung the rock over the hill to the left. The startling noise immediately caught the attention of the Kobolds at the base of the hill, as well as the one directly ahead. They ran over the hill with short scurrying legs and waved their weapons, leaving the path along the base of the hill clear ahead.
Shasa looked back at the Doctor with a raised eyebrow then led them forward, quick and quiet. Once over the rise, Rose spotted a small fenced area close by to the left, but the two standing there were looking the other direction towards the commotion. They kept on, with Shasa leading the way.
There was a building ahead with a Krall standing near, so they were forced to drop down to the right onto the pathway, which was probably the same one they abandoned to climb the rocks. Rose stopped just short of running into Shasa as she slowed back to a casual walk, and Rose did her best to imitate her.
Up ahead, a ramp led up from the path onto a small hill with a flattened top. The mountainside appeared to rise up around the back, protecting it. If the seamless half-circle white arch over the top of the ramp hadn't been so large, Rose would say it was made of bone. She supposed it could be two dead tree trunks bent over and somehow fused in the middle, but that seemed even less likely than the remains of some huge beast.
"Looks important," the Doctor whispered softly from behind her.
It also looked impenetrable, other than the front door. Sharpened poles the size of trees lay up the steep hill on all sides. Rose saw no way up other than the ramp itself.
To her surprise, Shasa walked casually up the ramp. As they were out in the open with nowhere to hide, Rose saw no choice but to follow her, growing more nervous as she heard voices ahead. Just before passing under the arch and coming into view, Shasa sidestepped to the right edge of the ramp. The embankment was built up just enough to support the tree arch for them to step behind it, and Rose breathed a sigh of relief.
"Shasa, I'm impressed," the Doctor murmured appreciatively. "You do this sort of thing often?"
"Occasionally, when a human averse to killing joins my party," Shasa replied.
In the dark, the spiked outer fence that ran along the hillside from the archway to the mountainside looked to be made of giant teeth, points up. She wasn't really sure what the fence was for, since they could easily walk between them. It looked menacing, which was perhaps reason enough.
Careful to watch her footing, Rose followed Shasa along the fence away from the ramp, around the perimeter. Inside the camp was a pair of benches around a long wooden table and a pot hanging over a fire just beyond it. A proper wooden fence backed up to the spiked fence, which appeared to be a pen for a few pigs. The Kobold attending them was facing away. Shasa ducked down where the two fences joined, hidden from view by a couple of barrels, and the Doctor and Rose joined her there, finally resting long enough to take a proper look around.
The first thing Rose took in was how many people there were. There were four small Kobolds spread about, but there were four large Krall towards the back, one of them standing near a hut. The other three were clumped together around what Rose determined to be some sort of shrine. On either side of the shrine stood a wall formed of wooden poles, each one spiked at the top through a bone. Two poles much larger than the rest supported a diamond-shaped skin with a red swirly symbol in its center. Both poles were topped with a tribal mask design, each "ear" dangling with white feathers.
The significance of what the feathers represented suddenly came to Rose. Were they meant to look like feathers from a Daeva's wing?
Or worse, were they feathers from a Daeva's wing?
Rose was about to ask Shasa, but the Doctor pointed towards the shrine, and Rose had to peer over the barrels to look. By the light of the two burning braziers at the foot of each pole, before the hanging skin, one of the Krall moved, and Rose could now see a young man tied to a stake in the ground.
"Tarphonian?" Rose whispered.
"Could be," the Doctor whispered back.
"What are they doing with him?" She asked of the Doctor, but she looked to Shasa, thinking the Daeva knew more about the Krall than either of them.
"Don't know...but this very well could be what Brigade General Spatalos sent me to investigate," Shasa said, now seeming very interested in where she had been leading the Doctor and Rose.
"Tursin bring human!" one of the Krall in draped leather and fur shouted, raising its arms towards the shrine. "Human new, but human strong. Strong blood for master's work!"
Rose drew close to the Doctor to whisper. "They're going to sacrifice him or something!"
"Sounds like it," the Doctor agreed. He directed a whisper towards Shasa. "Who are the Krall's masters?"
Shasa drew her eyes from the proceedings to look at the Doctor and frowned. "I didn't know they had masters. Why?"
The Doctor nodded towards the Krall. "Shaman boy says he needs human blood for the master's work."
Shasa's eyes widened and she hissed, "You understand Krall?"
Rose bit her lip and looked to the Doctor for his response. The Krall began speaking again, so the Doctor held up a finger, and he and Rose listened.
"Tursin lowest of Krall servants, but Tursin loyal. Tursin bring human. Strong blood bring future masters to human land, Krall land!"
Rose caught the glint of metal in the weak light, and she could now see a curved blade in the Krall's hand.
"That's not a shrine at all," Rose breathed.
The Doctor's disgust was clear in his tone. "It's an altar."
"We've got to free him," Rose insisted. "They're going to kill him."
"You two stay here," Shasa whispered before slinking further along the fence. She didn't get far before the Doctor caught her arm.
"What are you doing?" he hissed.
"Something that would be stupid for you two. I'm going to try to free him. If I get caught, at least you two can get away."
"They're all looking at the boy! How would you free him?"
"I'll think of something," Shasa assured him in annoyance. "Think of it this way. If I fail, you two can kill yourselves on a second attempt. Deal?"
The Doctor sighed and let go of her arm. Rose didn't see how they could help either with everyone looking at Tarphonian. While her mind raced trying to think of an idea, hoping that the Doctor was having better luck than she was, Shasa made it through the fence where it ended at the base of the mountainside, as far as she could go before following the rock wall.
Rose could see Shasa beyond the pig pen as she silently made her way towards the wall of poles. If any of the Kobolds or Krall had been looking her way, they might have seen her, but no one seemed to be looking outside the range of the firelight within the camp itself.
Shasa disappeared behind the poles. Rose's eyes skipped ahead towards the other end of the wall, expecting to see Shasa directly beneath the hanging skin next. She couldn't, though! Shasa would be in plain sight there. Rose barely caught sight of Shasa peeking out from where she had disappeared, looking directly at them and trying to get their attention.
Rose tapped the Doctor's shoulder and pointed. When he looked towards Shasa, the Daeva made a throwing motion, then pointed towards the archway. When Rose looked up at the Doctor, she could see a grin on his face, and he nodded.
"Oh, God," Rose mumbled nervously.
The Doctor picked up a rock and waited a moment after Shasa had disappeared behind the wall. Rose could only watch as he then hurled the rock as hard as he could toward the arch. She couldn't see where it landed, but she heard it knock about in the shadows on the far end.
The Krall stopped speaking, and everyone turned towards the sound. The Kobold and Krall standing nearest the arch moved towards it, and the others watched them call out towards the sound, probably expecting a response. Rose looked back towards the shrine. One of the Krall moved a few steps towards the sound, but the other two stayed where they were, waiting for their guards to investigate.
The Doctor bent down again, this time throwing three rocks in quick succession towards the ramp. Rose grinned as it effectively simulated someone leaving in a hurry through the darkness.
The Krall guard yelled, and he and the little Kobold ran towards the ramp. Rose looked to see all three of the Krall step away from Tarphonian, trying to get a better look. Sure enough, that's when Shasa darted past the brazier and approached Tarphonian from behind.
Rose's blood pounded in her ears in anticipation, silently hoping the Krall wouldn't notice her. Tarphonian did, however, and turned in surprise as Shasa freed his hands from the stake. He immediately turned to follow Shasa back behind the wall. That's when Rose's blood ran cold as the Krall nearest the shrine roared and pointed at them.
The Doctor stood up straight, and Rose stood with him to get a better look as Shasa and Tarphonian fled behind the wall. Everyone in the camp either followed or ran towards the other end of the wall. One Kobold stopped and aimed its crossbow. There was no way Shasa and Tarphonian could get past them.
Rose feared for both of them, but she told herself she didn't have to worry about Shasa, as she was immortal. Tarphonian, though...what if he was killed in the crossfire?
Shasa emerged and immediately stopped dead when she saw enemies closing in. She whipped out her bo staff and began chanting. A blue aura glowed in the air around her, brighter specks alighting on her and Tarphonian. Shasa yelled and swung towards one of the Krall, engaging him in melee combat, while two others and a Kobold closed in on her flank.
"There's too many!" Rose cried.
The Doctor's response was immediate. Rose watched him in alarm as he dashed between the spiked fence and leapt over the pen towards the fight. He intended to help, Rose realised. There was nothing else for it, now. It was all or none of them.
As Rose ran after the Doctor (deciding to run the length of the pen instead of over it) she reined in her fear and put her mind to task. She wasn't a fighter, but she had healed before. Focusing on accessing her command of Aether, Rose tried to ignore the little voice screaming that she hardly knew what she was doing. Direct the flow to your hands first. See if you can project that healing power as Shasa does.
Rose raised her hands in front of her. As the Doctor stopped a short distance ahead of her, she tried to concentrate on what she was doing instead of what he was doing. As her hands began to glow blue, Rose felt a surge of hope and looked past them. An arrow hit Shasa and she cried out in pain, but as Rose watched, the arrow fell away, and Shasa's own healing magic glowed brightly where it had struck.
Rose didn't pretend to know about the properties of magic, but she didn't know what else to do. Rose focused on Shasa as her target, attempting to mirror what she had done for Delsius. One of the Krall landed a blow with its staff across Shasa's back. It clearly caused her pain, but she kept fighting, clearly conditioned to battle.
Glowing blue magic flowed across Shasa's graceful form as she swung her staff with lightning speed, and Rose recognised it as her magic, not Shasa's. Rose was healing her from the hit she had just taken!
There was a garbled cry from the center of the camp from one of the approaching guards that had been catching up. It was looking at Rose, and now it began to run at her. As fear dropped in her gut, the blue glow faded from her hands, and Rose had no idea how to defend herself.
The Doctor shouted, but Rose didn't understand the words. A deep purple light caught her eye, and she looked to the Doctor's illuminated shape. The mist swirled around his feet as he reached down with his right hand, his open book in his left. As he lifted his hand in a quick motion, the energy in his hand glowed a bright violet.
Rose jumped, startled as a sudden wind swirled violently around every Krall and Kobold. It picked up dust and rocks, but the wind dissipated as quickly as it had come. The rocks dropped and the dust puffed out from their targets in the following silence.
Rose could only hear her heavy breathing and stared in confusion. Each and every enemy was standing still, their heads hung, as if they were sleeping in place. One actually snored.
"They won't be dazed for long," the Doctor said as he snapped his book shut, his voice unusually unsteady. Rose could sense his deep fear through their bond. Shasa and Tarphonian stood in shock as well. Finally, the Doctor looked to them and yelled, "RUN!"
Rose didn't need any further encouragement. She turned towards the ramp and bolted, the Doctor right behind her.
As she cleared the base of the ramp, she was surprised by white wings from above dropping Shasa in front of her from the air. Shasa hit the ground running, and Rose fell into step behind her.
Dukaki all around them took notice and began to chase them. Their only hope was to outrun them all the way out of their land. Pacing oneself while sprinting wasn't an easy thing to do, but if there was one thing Rose had gotten good at since meeting the Doctor, it was running.
Her faith in her capability was suddenly crushed when her legs caught and she fell face first into the hard ground. Tarphonian ran past, and the Doctor's feet landed in front of her face, having nearly tripped over her.
"Shasa!" he called desperately.
Shasa turned, and Rose gasped in pain and looked back at her feet. Thorny vines had sprung out of the ground and were winding themselves up her legs, slicing through her flesh.
"Help!" Rose cried.
A second later, a flash of energy collided with the vines, and they promptly shriveled away. The Doctor pulled Rose to her feet and encouraged her ahead of him, and she began to run again. She winced, momentarily dreading that her legs wouldn't carry her, but Shasa's healing magic immediately brought relief as it glowed from her wounds.
"Run ahead of me!" Shasa called back to them. "I'll draw them off!"
By now, Rose had no desire to argue and followed the road as Shasa fell back. They had come to the point they had originally rejoined the road, and the way ahead was unfamiliar until they rounded a fallen tree and she looked down the hill as it sloped to the right. In the distance, Rose could make out the spiked fence where they had seen the first Krall, where they had climbed the rocks into the Settlement.
They were almost to the Mine.
Rose chanced a look back. She could hear angry cries up the hill to the right. Shasa's silhouetted form and blue glow tore across the rise, followed by a mob of angry Kobolds and a couple of massive Krall. More ahead of her took notice and joined the chase as she ran past. Looking ahead of Shasa, Rose could see she was headed for the towering rock outcropping that jutted out over the wall that separated the Settlement and Mine.
She didn't have time to wonder what Shasa was doing. Kobolds on either side of the road yelled and began to chase them. While Rose had been looking back, the Doctor had taken the lead, and Tarphonian brought up the rear.
A Kobold that had seen them from ahead stopped as they passed, flinging its hand out. The Doctor leapt, and Rose could see vines spring out of the rocky ground and attempt to snag his feet. Rose darted to the side to avoid them herself, and an arrow whizzed past her head.
They jogged down the hill past the sharpened pole gate on the left and the rocks they had scaled on the right. That meant...
Rose looked to the side at the surprised face of the Krall standing guard. He roared and swiped at her, and she barely dodged his huge grip.
The Doctor was looking left, and Rose followed his eyes. The hill led down into the lush green canyon. Rose wondered if he was going to go that way, but he kept on, through the Dukaki Mine.
The road was mostly clear, and the Dukaki to either side were far enough away to fall behind ineffectually as long as they kept running, but close enough to notice the chase.
Rose couldn't see the road ahead of the Doctor clearly. He went to the left, and Rose noticed the path seemed to also fork to the right. She didn't remember this part on their way through the first time, but she would follow the Doctor whichever direction he chose.
The Kobolds ahead were a lot closer to the road.
The Doctor's right hand glowed a hot yellow orange. When he raised it, one of the Kobolds dropped its crossbow and screamed as a burning trail swirled around its body. He cast his hand out again, and this time a purple fireball shot forth. Another Kobold jumped clear as it splashed across the ground at its feet. He threw another, disrupting another Kobold from acquiring a shot.
One Kobold managed to fire its crossbow. The Doctor yelped and stumbled.
"Doctor!" Rose cried. As the Doctor twisted to the side and regained his footing, Rose almost stumbled herself when she saw the arrow protruding from his chest.
He kept on. Somehow, the Doctor kept running, but it didn't take long for Rose to see he couldn't maintain the same speed. Rose could only follow, knowing they couldn't stop for anything or be overwhelmed. She only wished there was something she could do.
Hold on, she could. She was a healer, wasn't she? It was difficult to concentrate while running, but Rose summoned what power she could and directed it towards the Doctor. The blue light wrapped around his torso in weak tendrils, but it was all Rose could manage, and the arrow remained.
Rose was attempting to keep her pace and heal the Doctor when her attention was suddenly drawn upwards. Shasa descended on gliding wings from nowhere and landed ahead of them. She took one look at the Doctor, and with a flick of her wrist, her healing magic enveloped him as they ran towards her, and the arrow fell away.
"Stay near me!" Shasa called back to them as she took the lead again. "If you can hear my mantra, you're close enough to be healed!" The blue aura around her returned as she began to chant. The Doctor, Rose, Shasa and Tarphonian made it through the first arch, turned left, and Rose could see the torches with white feathers ahead, marking the edge of the Dukaki territory.
-^^-W-^^-
"I thought you couldn't fly!" the Doctor complained between heavy panting. They jogged wearily down the grassy hill along the road down to Tolbas Village. The Kobolds had given up their chase, choosing to stay within their lands.
"I can't!" Shasa insisted, giving him a look as if he were daft. I can always glide, though." She grinned smugly. "They couldn't follow me off the cliff."
The Doctor made a face. "What's the difference?"
Shasa rolled her eyes and slowed them to a walk. "What I want to know is how you put all those Krall and Kobolds to sleep. I've only ever seen the most elite of sorcerers cast a spell like that."
The Doctor made a lethargic attempt to rub at the back of his head, then gave up. "I tend to do things a bit...accelerated."
"Tell me 'bout it," Rose added.
He lifted his book in his left hand. "I read how to force someone into a sleeping state on one of the last pages. It didn't seem difficult to make it work on several at once."
Shasa shook her head and kept walking, apparently not knowing what else to say.
"Speaking of accelerated," the Doctor began in a friendlier and sincere tone and put a hand to his chest, "Thank you for healing me."
"Thanks for not dying on me before I could get to you," Shasa replied simply.
"Thank you for saving my life, all of you," the fourth member of their party said, and they looked to him as they walked.
"Tarphonian?" Rose asked.
"Yes," he replied in surprise. "How do you know my name?"
"Your father, Golben, sent us to fetch you," the Doctor told him. "Now we know why you didn't make curfew."
They reached the bridge. A Watch member approached them, and the Doctor could see it was Lusis.
"You found him, then?" Lusis pointed. "You, you are the one I saw taken last night! Welcome back, all of you!"
"I suggest you increase your defense of the village for the night. The Krall we rescued Tarphonian from aren't happy, and they may come looking for him, or someone to replace him."
Lusis nodded. "I'll notify the Watch immediately. Get some rest. We'll give a good shout if there's any trouble."
As Lusis ran off, Shasa looked to him. "What was it the Krall said?"
The Doctor gestured to Tarphonian as he began leading them into the village. "They wanted human blood to somehow 'bring future masters to human land'. The Krall called himself 'Tursin'."
"Tursin Krall, that's the name of the tribe."
The Doctor nodded as he processed this. "And whatever their masters are, the Tursin Krall view them as godly enough to sacrifice Tarphonian to them."
When the Doctor turned up the hill to the left, Shasa stopped. "I've got business to attend to. I'll catch you up in a minute."
"We'll be at Nemia's," the Doctor told her.
As Shasa left them, they made their way up the hill. The Doctor knocked on the door, and Delsius answered.
"You're back! And...you found him?"
"We did. Mind if we come in?"
"Please, please!" Delsius opened the door and stepped aside. "You look exhausted. I insist you stay the rest of the night. Is that all right, Nemia?"
The small house was little more than one room. Nemia was getting up from her bed and lighting a candle. "Of course it is! Don't you dare leave this house without a proper rest! Let me pull out the blankets."
As Nemia fussed about, Tarphonian collapsed against the wall. The Doctor turned to Delsius.
"Could you get Tarphonian something to eat? He hasn't exactly been treated well."
"Of course, yes." As he went to find something, Nemia brought them a bundle of linen before getting more for Tarphonian.
The Doctor set down the bundle where they were standing, on the stone floor near the wall where the room narrowed towards the doorway. He looked to Rose. "This all right? You want to sleep?"
Rose picked at the bundle. "Yeah, I'm about ready to sleep standing up." She smiled wearily. "Don't even need to be under a spell."
He grinned, and together they laid out the blankets and settled onto it where Rose began to take her shoes off. Delsius brought Tarphonian some bread and water, and Nemia directed him to sit on the bedding she had put out for him. The Doctor impulsively gathered Rose into a hug, and she hugged him back.
"I should never have taken you in there," he told her softly.
Rose gave him a squeeze. "I can't believe we made it out alive."
"That's what I mean. Rose, if something had happened to you..."
"I'm the one that saw you get shot with an arrow! I tried so hard to heal you, but we were moving so fast..."
It was his turn to squeeze Rose back. "I know. I felt it. It helped, it really did. You were amazing, Rose." His smile of appreciation faded. "I had to bypass my lungs for a bit. I can't believe I got shot." He fingered the small hole in his jacket. "And now...it's almost like it never happened."
"Healed by magic...good as new?" Rose asked, her large eyes full of concern. The Doctor smiled reassuringly.
"I feel just fine."
Rose nodded and sighed, then squinted and gushed in a harsh whisper, "I can't believe you were throwin' fire and magic everywhere! You're like a regular Harry Potter."
"Ooh, wait for it..." The Doctor dipped a hand into his jacket and produced his glasses, slipping them onto his face. "Snap."
Rose giggled. Her attention was drawn towards the doorway, and the Doctor turned to see Shasa.
"I have something for you," she said to Rose as she approached. The ringing of tiny metal chains accompanied movement as Shasa set down the pile in front of Rose. "My chain mail. I've just upgraded, do you like it?" Shasa stood and modeled the glinting armour in the candlelight.
"Oh my God, it's beautiful," Rose breathed. "And...you're just giving me the stuff you were wearing, really?" She looked down and picked up the silvery white tunic on top.
Shasa shrugged. "Yeah, what else am I going to do with it, sell it? I'd much rather have it keep you safe, since you insist on blundering into trouble with your mortal life at stake." She shook a finger at Rose. "Don't let me find this mail on your dead body at some Krall's feet."
There was silence for a moment, and the Doctor noticed Rose's eyes looked glassy. "I don't know what to say," she finally admitted.
"Say you'll be careful and stay alive."
"She won't be in a position like that again if I have anything to say about it," the Doctor assured Shasa as he pulled Rose into his arms.
"Hm. Well, just in case." Shasa knelt down before them, and the Doctor let go of Rose as she reached for Rose's hands. "Do you know how to cure?"
Rose looked confused. "You mean...heal?"
"No. Healing is restoring one's health. Curing is a type of Dispel that removes ailments or what's categorised as an altered state. Those vines that bound your feet, that's a type of snare. It doesn't damage you much, but it slows you down. The same cure works for most of those types of things. If the ailment is too strong, though, you may not be able to cure it without being a more experienced cleric." Shasa held Rose's hands for a moment. "Feel that?"
Rose sat still for a moment, then nodded. "Sort of...a bit tingly?"
"Yeah." Shasa let go and leaned back. Her hand glowed, and a pulse ran through Rose, causing her to shiver. "This is what it feels like. It doesn't do anything to you unless there is something to cure."
Rose nodded, looking interested despite her weariness. "Okay."
"Come." Shasa stood and moved to settle down at Tarphonian, and Rose got up and joined her.
The Doctor leaned his head against the wall and watched with a proud smile as Shasa put a hand to Tarphonian's forehead. Rose mimicked her movements, and they spoke quietly of wonders and magic. Finally, Shasa got up to leave, looking to the Doctor.
"I must tell Brigade General Spatalos what has happened. You should check in with him at the Citadel when you've rested."
The Doctor nodded. "Will you find Golben and tell him his son is safe with us? We'll return after he's up for the journey."
Shasa nodded. "I'll let him know. I recommend taking the flight transporter back. Much faster." She grinned. "I have eternity, but no time to walk anywhere."
They bid her farewell. Nemia blew the candle out, and everyone settled down to sleep. The Doctor lay down with his back against the wall, and Rose curled up in front of him. He spread the blanket over them and settled, keeping his ears alert for any sounds from the Watch.
He had almost killed a Kobold. Back there on the road, when they were close to being overwhelmed, the Doctor had become desperate and lashed out with his magic. He thought he had only given him a superficial burn which one of their healers could take care of, but he couldn't be sure as he didn't stick around to find out. It's not like the Doctor had ever used the spell before, and he didn't exactly know what it did.
He had to be careful. His power over Aether was growing quickly, and he didn't know how far it could go.
Turning his thoughts to Rose, the Doctor sighed, relieved to rest his mind. He gently skimmed over the surface of Rose's idle thoughts, and when he felt her contentment at his mind's touch, he soothed her to sleep.