0
0000
chapter 10
0000
0
Arkan and the others began to race for Redcliffe castle. Arkan had doubted Winter's decision to divide their forces and even told her that but as usual she didn't listen. They were traveling with some of the most wounded men, hardly any of them could fight if the time called for it. Vakar was even seeing faults with Winter's plan. Even if a runner made it to Denerim, the others in their group would be run down and killed by any raiding parties that the Chasind sent out. Arkan could see the men tiring. Summer slowed down her walking to walk beside Arkan who was at the back of the group.
"Hey Winter how about we stop here for a few minutes? The soldiers are beginning to tire." Arkan shouted. Winter ignored him and kept pressing forward. He tried again and again but no response just constant marching. Arkan was beginning to get agitated.
"Don't do anything rash Arkan. She knows that the men are tired but she wants to cover as much ground by nightfall as possible." Summer said stopping Arkan before he done anything stupid.
"Even if it means running her own people into the ground. These men can't go on for much longer. Have you noticed that we got most of the wounded when we separated from the others? If we get attacked then there will be nothing stopping them from getting killed. Can you please move up ahead and ask your sister to stop to allow the men to rest? We've covered plenty of ground, the enemy will want to make a good encampment before heading out again. So could you please ask her cause you know that she won't listen to either me or Vakar?" Arkan asked quietly. Summer looked unsure but nodded all the same and sprang forward to the front of the march.
Arkan watched as Summer tried to convince her sister. It was working, sort of, he could hear Summer shouting at her sister and her sister shouting back. Insults were the highlight of the show until Winter gave in.
"Fine! Fine! Right everyone stop, we'll have a rest here. But I want you and that pointy eared conspirator over there to stand guard with the laughing hyena over there in the middle." Winter shouted back at Summer, pointing at Arkan and Vakar as they both started to laugh at her comments.
0
0
0
The three ordered to stand guard gathered. Summer flicked back her hair and looked at the two men.
"Well you have your break, sort of. Didn't plan on this to happen." Summer said scratching her chin.
"Oh well me and the laughing hyena will take care of everything." Arkan said smiling at how Winter had addressed them.
"Nicely said oh pointy eared conspirator." Vakar said also smiling.
The three of them looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh. Arkan slowly sat down and slammed his staff into the ground and created the protective barrier he had made before when he was defending just himself and Vakar. Summer added to the spell to stop Arkan from over straining his abilities. The three separated to the three points of the camp and sat down at the same time. Arkan began sharing private jokes with Summer because she could hear his thoughts and was giving the same jokes to Vakar through failed hand signals. So vakar wasn't part of the fun overly much.
0
0
0
The rest was quickly over when Winter walked over to Arkan's staff and lifted it from the ground and hit Arkan with it. Arkan rubbed at his head.
"A simple that's the rest over would have sufficed. You know something, you not overly nice to me or Vakar these past few days." Arkan said snatching his staff back and threatening to hit Winter in the head back.
"Oh boo hoo. let's go we're wasting time. Our prisoner's already tried to escape twice but kept bouncing off of you barrier. he's not very intelligent. Sort of reminds me of you." Winter said mocking the elf.
"Really, well I'll remind you now that I can give you a barrier all of your own and I can make it squeeze the living air out of you. So be quiet and watch who your mocking." Arkan threatened. Winter scoffed and walked away.
Vakar walked up to Arkan and patted him on the shoulder.
"Forget about her mate. She's just bitter to see that we actually survived through this so far. She's just a bit mad because of all the deaths of her platoon. Don't worry she'll come around eventually." Vakar said optimistically. Arkan stared back in disagreement.
The two men picked up their stuff from the ground and joined the rest of the surviving regiment. Arkan made sure that there was no sign that they camped here by slamming his staff against the ground and it swallowed up any evidence that they were there. He nodded at the sight and followed Vakar.
0
0
0
Over at the other group the assassins were finishing off the last remaining survivors. Flemeth arrived on a horse just as the last survivors were rounded up. Just before the attackers killed them Flemeth raised her hand. She dismounted and walked over to one of the soldiers and rubbed her hand down his face. he stared back at her and scowled at her and spat at her feet.
"What unruly manners. Youth has defiantly gotten worse in the amount of time that I've been gone. but you know the elf and his friends don't you Captain Hitoshi." Flemeth said scratching the side of the man's face with her sharpened nails.
"How do you know my name?" Hitoshi asked as hearing his name sent a chill up his spine. he looked over to the last surviving members of his group who all looked in terror of the events taking place.
"I know many things, but what I don't know is just how much trouble that elf is going to cause me. But if you and the last of you wish to live you'll tell me everything that I wish to know." Flemeth said turning her back on the captain.
Captain Hitoshi looked to his men and knew that they had families back home who didn't even know about this conflict. He looked back at Flemeth with his decision.
"What do you wish to know?" he said looking back at his feet in disgrace.
"Many, many things. but the first thing I wish to know is everything you and your little group here know about that elf and his friends." Flemeth said smoothly.
"The elf just appeared three days ago. but all we know is that he's dangerous. Same with the man from Redcliffe, apparently he killed his own company commander in a training session. But the girls mostly kept to themselves whenever we saw them not giving orders, but on the battlefield they are as reliable as a mabari hound. Just like a knife their sometimes quick to the kill." The Captain attempted to stab Flemeth in the gut with a dagger he produced from his boot. he was immediately grabbed by two of the raiders and beaten. Flemeth raised her hand to stop them.
"You've got spirit captain. I'll give you that but I'll let you and six others live of your group and force you to watch the rest die." Flemeth picked out the six and with her hand outstretched fired off a large steady stream of fire which burnt the soldiers slowly. Their screams echoed in the seven survivors ears as they were forced to watch.
"Consider that not as a threat but as the future of all those who fail to get out of my way and of your precious Fereldan. Take them away." Flemeth ordered as she mounted her horse again.
"Mistress I believed that you could change your shape, why do you require the use of a beast for transport?" the first assassin asked as he looked upon Flemeth.
"Well my dear boy, it would look very wierd if I came into Denerim as my dragon form or anything else, especially since I'm going to the Landsmeet." Flemeth explained stroking the man's cloaked face.
She began to ride off into the distance towards South Reach. The soldiers looked at her as she rode away and then back at the smoldering corpses of their fallen friends.
0
0
0
Vakar and the others neared the boarder of Redcliffe faster than they originally anticipated. Mainly to Winter's reluctance to stop for short breaks. Arkan stopped and looked back in the direction they just came from and grimaced. Summer looked at him and placed her hand on his shoulder. He shook the face away and smiled at Summer in an attempt not to worry her.
"Everything will be just fine Arkan, I bet they made it there by now. They did have a shorter march than us." Summer said unaware of the chill that just ran up Arkan's spine.
"You're right, you're right. We should stay focused on the task ahead of us. Do you know how much further it is till we reach the castle?" Arkan asked removing himself of the thoughts of others dying.
"It's about another five miles, but if you look very carefully you can just see the tips of the towers that surround the castle."Summer said pointing in the direction of Redcliffe.
Winter walked to the back of the group and hit Arkan in the back of his head.
"Ouch. What the hell was that for?" Arkan shouted.
"You're making too much noise, I thought I said to keep talking to a minimum. Haven't you noticed that we are in a forest? The Chasind could attack us at any point and we need to be able to hear them." Winter explained.
"There is no need to be so paranoid. The Chasind are very far behind us and like I said earlier, will be making their foothold in the south stronger before advancing any further. So relax a bit but don't let your guard down." Arkan said quietly.
"You'd better be right." Winter said coldly.
Arkan looked at Summer who shrugged her shoulders. They continued on their long march.
0
0
0
Arkan walked slowly behind the rest of the group and was trying to listen for any movements besides their own. All of a sudden he heard a loud grouping of twigs snapping under his feet behind him and he quickly spun round. Summer had heard it as well and turned with him. There was a brush shaking on the side of th forest road. Arkan raised his staff. When he knew Winter was out of hearing range he quietly walked up to the bush. Summer nodded at him. He stuck his hand in the bushes and picked up two children who had obviously been either following them since Lothering or they just stared to follow them now. Arkan put them down in front of Summer and crossed his arms.
"And you two think that you are..." Arkan didn't finish deliberately.
"None of you business what we were doing. What are a bunch of heavily armoured soldiers doing heading straight for Redcliffe?" The boy asked before he stamped on Arkan's foot but recoiled in pain as Arkan was wearing thin dragon-bone mail armour under his tunic and clothes. The boots were the only thing showing he had the armour on.
"OK that served you right for even trying that in the first place." Arkan said slightly laughing.
"Shut up and answer my question elf." The boy shouted back.
"You make me being an elf seem like an insult. But anyway why should we answer your questions, we're the ones with the weapons?" Arkan reminded the kid who pouted and harrumphed.
"Come on Summer let's not waste anymore time with these two. They most likely already know the way back home." Arkan said thinking that the kids would still follow them anyway.
"Yeah you're right, better not deal with children who just get in the way, we have business that the Arl needs to deal with before things in the Wilds get completely out of hand." Summer said being very obvious.
One of the children's ears picked up on the last part of that sentence.
"What's happening in the Wilds? Something dangerous I bet. I'm I right? I'm I right?" The kid pestered.
Arkan smiled at the kids enthusiasm.
"I can't tell you, it's heavily classified information. But if you tell us your names and why your following us we might be able to tell you a tiny bit about what's happening." Arkan said sweetening the deal.
"I'm Reilly and this is my friend Megan. We come from Redcliffe but we came out here to play Warden and the Darkspawn, but when w heard footsteps through here we thought that it might be trouble so we-" Reilly started before Arkan started to laugh slightly.
"You thought that you might be able to stop this meager force, with sticks and an attitude. That sounds sort of like your sister Summer. Plenty of attitude but never thinking clearly." Arkan smiled and patted the boy on the head.
The boy stared down at his feet and looked like he was about to cry. Arkan sighed and knelt down to be at head height with the boy.
"Hey, hey look at me. That was a brave thing that you were planning on doing but attacking two of the most strong people in this group wouldn't have been a good plan. However if you wanted to do something, you could of ran back to the village and warned the troops there about us. But what you done, or were planning on doing would have got youself and your friend most likly hurt." Arkan tried to comfort the kids.
"He's right, for once. Look, at the minute we can't afford any more civilians getting hurt. Lothering has been sacked by Chasind invaders and everyon here is a little on edge because we were there and couldn't stop it. There were just far too many and yes we're scared just like you were when you saw us coming. That's why we're going to Redcliffe. To get help and to recover." Summer said smoothly.
0
0
0
The boy looked up at her and nodded. Then a voice came out of nowhere.
"My what a moving testimony. You've got a way with children as well as magic don't you Arkan." Flemeth coolly said. Arkan had turned and drawn his sword and took his staff from his back.
Summer drew her bow and knocked an arrow and ignited it. Flemeth looked at the girl and laughed.
"You've also got a pupil as well? Well you are one for surprises. Maybe you can teach me somethings. My abilities are somewhat rusty since I've been away." Flemeth said cynically.
Arkan slowly removed his satchel and nudged Summer to take it. Summer looked at him.
"Summer I want you to take this and the kids and get away from here. Warn your sister that the Shapeshifter I mentioned is here and that I'm holding her off. Now go." Arkan ordered. Summer didn't move an inch but looked at the kids and then back at Flemeth and drew back her bow string.
"I am not going to leave you here on your own. Not again, we almost lost you to templars that time." she fired off her arrow which exploded on contact with Flemeth's hand when she out stretched it.
Arkan studied the cloud of ash that appeared and immediatly threw up a strong magical barrier. A fire tornado sprung forth from the cloud and slammed against the barrier.
"Go Now! Hurry your magic isn't powerful enought for her yet. Hurry! I don't know how long I can hold this for." Arkan said straining under the weight of the tornado.
Summer nodded and ran back slightly but stopped when she heard the barrier shatter and Arkan flew past her. Arkan strained himself back to his feet and set himself up for another attack. Flemeth came out of the cloud of smoke. She didn't even look injured. Only a strand of hair was out of place.
"A noble attempt by the pupil, and a masterful defence from the master but both failed to stop me. Would you be interested in haring who I am before I end your miserable existences?" Flemeth asked fixing her hair.
Arkan scowled and ran at Flemeth, igniting his sword he swung the blade down towards her heart. Flemeth parried with her short sword she cleverly concealed in her robes. Arkan threw his left hand back and put up the strongest barrier he could in front of Summer and the kids in order to protect them.
"My aren't we the resourceful one, able to keep focused on the battle yet also on holding onto a barrier spell using that staff which I'll crush later." Flemeth said pushing Arkan away with a long sweep of her sword.
"You asked me if I wanted to know your name. So say it." Arkan shouted as he thrusted his sword at Flemeth. She dodged and parried against his strikes and swings.
"Your good with magic, children and a blade. Well I guess I shall give you a name that your kind and most others recognise. My name, is Flemeth!" Flemeth shouted blasting Arkan against his own barrier with a powerful shock wave. Arkan lifted himself back up with his sword and looked back at the barrier to see Summer and the children still stood there imobilised by fear.
"Huh so your theFlemeth, the Witch of the Wilds humans fear so much. Well let's see your true skill." Arkan said firing off spell after spell causing mass damage to the surrounding forest area as Flemeth blocked and repelled the onslaught. But a few shots hit her causing more damage. Arkan charged and sliced the side of Flemeth's face. He turned his had and smiled.
"So you held back slightly because of your dear friends, that was an impressive show of magical force. Well I will force you to fight me properly, watch them die!" Flemeth shouted firing a barrage of fireballs and lightning at the barrier.
Arkan ran in front of the attack and placed a weaker barrier in front of himself to defend against the attack. he turned to see that the children had already run off but Summer had stayed. She obviously told them to get the others. Arkan's personal barrier shattered and he was blasted into his second barrier he set up to defend the children and Summer. Cracks started to appear in it and he placed his hand on it and strengthened it again. He started to gasp for air.
0
0
0
Ten minutes later into the fight and Arkan was bleeding furiously. Flemeth looked at him and kicked him against a broken tree. Flemeth smiled and stopped just before she killed him.
"We'll meet again elf and you will give me that book that you so preciously protect." Flemeth said stroking the side of his face, she turned and walked away turning into a wolf and fleeing the battle. Arkan lowered his barrier with the remaining strength he possessed and nearly fell into unconsciousness.
Summer ran up to him along with Vakar and another man Arkan never met before. They also had the two kids with them.
"Come on kid we gotta get you some medical treatment. You look pretty beat up." Vakar said lifting Arkan up and lying him on the forest floor.
"You took your damn sweet time." Arkan stuttered spitting out some blood. Summer was on her knees looking over Arkan and began bandaging him. Winter then came up to them and scowled at Arkan.
"Joy of joys, your here." Arkan muttered.
"Good to see you survived couldn't have our residential apostate being killed off now could we." Winter replied handing Arkan a drink.
Arkan sat up and looked at the stranger. The stranger looked back at him then laughed realising he hadn't introduced himself.
"I'm Arl Teagan, I'm in charge of Redcliffe since our old Arl decided to stay and advise the king in Denerim." Teagan said looking at the bleeding and beaten elf.
"I'm Arkan, I would greet you properly but as you can see I'm sort of beat up and it hurts to talk properly." Arkan said grimacing at the pain.
"I heard of what happened at Lothering and now here in this very forest from Winter and these two children. Can you ride a horse in your condition?" Teagan asked being painfully optimistic.
"Not really, i can barely stand and talk let alone ride." Arkan replied.
At that moment the sounds of wheels came up on the road behind them and Vakar looked over and smiled.
"That's handy, and conviniont." Arkan said shrugging his shoulders.
Vakar walked up to the drivers and asked if Arkan and the others could hop into the back while they go to Redcliffe. They graciously accepted after looking at who they were addressing. Vakar waltzed back with a massive grin on his face. Arkan grinned and laughed slightly at his friend's expression. he picked himself up and with the help of Vakar and one of the drivers got into the back of the caravan and lay down. the driver's children and wife were in the back along with him. They gasped at the sight of his wounds. Arkan smiled back and again nearly fell into unconsciousness, Summer hopped in the caravan and stopped him, the other children also got in and sat down. The wife and Summer began to tend to Arkan's wounds.
"Don't worry, we'll be in Redcliffe soon. You'll be fine." Summer unconvincingly said. Arkan looked at her and smiled.
"I could have told you that. Now do like we practiced and try that healing spell." Arkan instructed.
The caravan made it to Redcliffe without further delay. The next words that Arkan heard before he fell asleep came from Summer.
"We're here, welcome to Redcliffe." She said looking at the castle in the distance.