Chapter 12. Betrayal
"Attack!" The Razac scream.
As the forces rush into Carvahal Roran raises his hammer and strikes the ground, releasing all the energy in the diamond in waves of light across the ground. The soldiers pause, then the first five lines start to sink into quicksand. They cry in horror as the ground swallows them up. The Razac and the mage are able to leap free of the quicksand and attack Roran.
("NOW!") Roran screams with his mind. The villagers shoot their bows at the soldiers stuck sinking into the quicksand and those behind the quicksand on solid ground. Some of the soldiers in the rear try to enter the town from the sides. But they are stopped by men with spears and bows. Roran enchanted the bows so that whoever shoots them can't miss.
While the people of Carvahal fight desperately to keep the soldiers out of their town Roran battles the mage and the two Razac at the same time. Roran is faster than the Razac as they pose the greater threat. The Mage is strong but Roran is more powerful so long as Galbatorix does not intervene. Roran must divide his time between fighting the mage both mentally and physically in conjuction with his duel against the Razac. That is when a flaming projectile flies overhead and strikes the hay born.
"Dam!" Roran leaps up into the air and back with the Razac chasing him in the air. He extends his free hand towards the catapult hoping it is not protected. "BRISINGER!" A ball of fire leaps from Roran's palm as he flips and lands on his feet to continue his melee with the Razac and the mage. He smiles as the catapult bursts into flames killing the men manning it.
Roran twists his hammer using it as a club, sword, and staff. His fighting style is a mixture of all three. He manages to bash the smaller Razac in the leg breaking it. He would have finished the Razac off, but the other one blocked his hammer. That is when the Mage makes a side swing, Roran twists his hammer like a staff and bashes the mage on the wrist breaking it. The pain allows him to enter the man's mind.
"Letta nu Eldorn…"
The mage drops his sword clutches his chest as he staggers backwards. Blood pours from his mouth and nose as his heart stops and he dies. "RETREAT!" The Razac screams. With mage dead and over half their army lost victory was impossible. And Roran was not human because he was fast as an Elf and immune to the Razac's mind numbing breath.
"NO!" Elaine screams.
Roran turns just in time to see Horst on his back with one man holding him down and another trying to finish him. Both Albreich and Boldur were engaged with their own soldiers. Roran throws his hammer killing the man holding Horst down. Then Roran leaps over to Horst and snaps the other man's neck. As Roran extends his hand he takes a quick scan of the town. The Soldiers are in full retreat. A scream comes from the barn. Roran runs to the barn and stops as young Elman lay crushed under a wooden beam that had fallen on him. His parents kneel over their only son crying.
Lenna looks up, "You did this…" She stands up striking Roran in the chest. Her husband Delwin pulls her away, "You did this…"
"I am so sorry…"
Delwin looks at Roran, "You have magic can you bring him back to life…"
Roran shakes his head, "There are some things even magic cannot do…If I could I would…"
Roran turns his head and spots Loring on the ground holding what was left of his arm. "Stay away demon…" His eldest son says as Roran approaches.
"I can help him if you let me…"
The other two sons pull the oldest back, "Let him…" The youngest says.
Roran picks up the severed arm and examines it for infection. He removes the dirt particles and then checks Loring. When he is sure there is no infection Roran places the arm by the stump and speaks a long spell. Loring laughs as nerves, bone, muscle, veins, and finally skin comes back together. "I still can't move it…" Loring says.
"The blood must flow back through the arm…That will take a few minutes…" Roran leaves him to find Orsan with a spear in his gut. Getrude is tending him.
"If I remove it he will die…"
Roran bends down and places his hand on Orsan's head. "Slytha…"
Gertrude looks at Roran, "Is he dead…"
"No I put him to sleep…" Roran examines the wound with a short spell, then he gets to work. He quickly removes the spear after a spell. His insides mend quickly to keep from bleeding on the inside. Then he awakens Orsan who looks at his stomach in tears. Roran wanted to heal Quimby, but his wounds were beyond repair as he was one of the men guarding the children. Roran gave him a quick death by a spell at his request. Once all the wounded are healed the dead is counted. Seven children died when the barn was hit by the projectile from the catapult including Elmund. Of the adults that died Farold, Garner, Quimby, Hale, Melkolf, Parr, and Wygliff to name a few. They were all buried at the same time.
All the villagers gathered together to discuss their next move. "The Empire lost over half the troops they sent here…But more will come…I say we follow Roran's plan and leave as soon as possible…" Horst said.
Birgit came forward, "I am leaving but for a different reason…I want revenge on those cowards…I wish to join the Varden and fight…"
"So do I…" Delwin said holding his wife Lenna.
Loring flexed his fingers as life returned to his arm, "So Stronghammer…This is your plan…When do we leave…"
"Tomorrow before first light…Pack as much as you can…We take all the animals with us…They can be food for us whenever hunting is scarce…Whatever you can't bring with you we bury and hide from the Empire for the day we return…"
Most of the day the people of Carvahal packed with a weapon nearby just in case whatever is left of the Razac's forces tried to attack again. Roran kept watch with his mind for double insurance. He was in his bed trying to get rest when Katrina entered his room and climbed into bed next to him. At the last minute Roran opened his eyes just as the soldiers grabbed him. A Razac leaps onto his chest as Katrina screams. They force his mouth open and pour a liquid down his throat. Roran sneers his eyes into a V and the two guards holding his legs are struck by an invisible force that throws them across the room.
Then Roran takes the guard holding his right arm and throws him out of the window. Then he punches the Razac sitting on him in the chest. The creature flies across the room and hits the wall. Roran head butts the last soldier killing him and extends his hand to his hammer. It flies into his hand and he blocks an attack from another soldier. He leaps to his feet from his back and bashes the man in the head.
Realizing that the tide is turning the other Razac grabs Katrina and leaves out of the room. "RORAN!" She screams.
Roran is a little light headed, the liquid they forced him to drink clouds his mind, but he is still feral enough for a fight. In a matter of seconds he kills the soldiers in his room and heads for the hallway. He is joined by Boldur and they rush to the window. "Your mother is safe…"
"Of course…"
They reach the window just as the Razac are climbing down via a ladder. Roran gasps because the villagers are fighting a desperate battle against the Soldiers. Roran grabs Katrina and tries to pull her back up. "I am here!" Horst says joining them, he is covered in blood.
"You are the one we want…" The Razac screams reaching to grab Roran. When Roran doesn't budge the Razac bites him on the shoulder. Roran howls in pain then Horst stabs the Razac in the face. The hood falls away and Horst falls back in fear at what he sees.
"Come we have the girl…He will follow…" The other Razac says.
Roran falls onto Boldur as the Razac lets go. "KATRINA!" Roran tries to stand, but the drug still befuddles his mind.
"Roran no your shoulder…" The words stop in Horst's mouth as the ring on Roran's right middle finger glows and the wound heals immediately.
Roran runs down the hall and leaps down the steps just as the soldiers are retreating. As he runs after them Roran sees Nolfavrel stabbing a soldier in the mud that he killed. "DIE! DIE! DIE!" The boy keeps screaming. Roran pulls him away from the soldier. "I want them all to die…"
"Shush its over…"
Birgit runs up limping and covered in blood with a sword in each hand. "Go!" She says taking her son away from Roran. "Go save Katrina!"
Roran runs on with fifty men following him through the woods. He pauses trying to clear his head, "All you alright?" Horst asks.
"I will be soon…Stay here…" Before Horst can protest Roran leaps up into tree and lands on a branch twenty feet up. Horst and the men with him stare dumbfounded. They exchange glances as Roran leaps from tree to tree. Roran kneels down in a branch when he nears the camp. A twig snaps and Roran looks down to see Horst and the others. He waves for them to be still. Luckily there were no sentries as the soldiers were arguing with the Razac.
"I am not doing another damned thing until Galbatorix sends another spellcaster…and a human commander…" A man says.
"AYE!"
The other men yell in agreement, "And another thing…If you bugged eyed hunch backs don't leave right now I will personally run you through with my sword…"
"Iz that right?" The Razac says.
"Yeah…and leave the girl behind we can have some fun with…"
The Razac leaps across the fire and lands on the man, then he plucks his neck out and laps up the blood. Roran leaps down to the others, "Get ready…" Roran says as the Razac raises his head to the sky and screeches.
"Look!" Horst says pointing.
Roran follows his finger and gasps as Sloan follows the other Razac out of the tent. He has Katrina's hands and feet tied up. Roran's anger rises as he is tempted to kill Sloan, but he remembers Katrina and inserts his will into the minds of the remaining soldiers. Roran twists their anger and fear of the Razac and force them to attack. Two soldiers grab Sloan and hold him as five converge on the two Razac. Katrina is dropped and Roran tries to pull her to safety with magic but he can't remember the words. Frustrated Roran orders four men to recover her. All four die to the Razac, but one man manages to cut the Razac.
It seems that victory is possible then the air is filled with an ear splitting screech. "Get down!" Roran yells to Horst and the others as the Lethzberka descend on the area. They aid their young in killing the mad soldiers who turned against them. When it is over Sloan cowers by the two dead soldiers pretending to be dead, but the Razac are not fooled. They take him, Katrina, and several of the dead bodies then fly off. All Roran can do is watch them fly off.
"Come we need to leave…"
