Chapter 2 updated: 26 March 2007
Chapter 2: Retreat
"Ugh!" Etherian was hurled back by a fireball.
"…Weakling," Sifias stalked slowly toward the Guild Master.
"No…don't…," Etherian begged.
Kaeryd awakened with a sudden jolt. A nightmare… that was it; just a nightmare, but what happened last night wasn't. The battle was too real. Etherian was dead. How could he have possibly escaped?
Wait, where am I?
Kaeryd peered around at the huge room in which he sat. With enormously tall windows, the room was bright and well lit, the sun gleaming clearly through the glass.
"Hey, you're awake!" a voice next to him exclaimed happily.
Kaeryd's head swiveled left to see Tysan's round, green eyes looking at him. Tysan lay on an identical white bed next to Kaeryd, wearing a white shirt and matching pants. Kaeryd glanced down at his attire to find that he too was wearing the same.
"Hey… where are we?" Kaeryd asked, gingerly pushing himself up to a sitting position.
"Falador. Etherian must have teleported us here. The nurse said we're in the hospital," Tysan explained.
"Where is everyone?" Kaeryd asked. Nothing other than his head seemed to be in much pain.
"Look around ya," Tysan replied, smiling again.
He did. The guild's survivors lay scattered on separate beds around the room.
"Are they ok?" Kaeryd inquired.
"Yeah… Eclipse's injuries might take longer to heal, but besides that, everyone should be fine in a few days," Tysan said with another optimistic grin.
There's Tysan for you… always saw the good in things, Kaeryd thought. Tysan was one of the youngest in the Silver Chaos. He was only twelve, but he was very talented in the healing arts; however, he was also a formidable warrior. He wielded a powerful double-bladed sword and the expertise to use it.
Kaeryd was carefully climbing out of bed when the gray granite doors swung open with a whirl, a startling image for such massive doors. Tysan and Kaeryd stared as a plump man and two towering guards wielding long halberds entered. After a quick, sweeping survey of the room, the man spotted Kaeryd and Tysan and smiled widely, showing canines, molars, and all.
Kaeryd knew this man. He was Zarin, King of Falador. Robed in long, scarlet clothing and a shining gold crown, Zarin fit the image of a compassionate king almost to an arrow point. He was quick to take action and cared much for his people from what the citizens have said of him.
"Kaeryd! Tysan! How are you doing?" King Zarin nearly bellowed while throwing his hands wide up into the air. Tysan scrambled out of bed next to Kaeryd and together they bowed.
"Fine, your majesty…," Kaeryd murmured respectfully.
"No need for formalities. I hear you'll be making a quick recovery," Zarin said, waving offhandedly, grin still in place.
"Yeah, we're feeling better already!" Tysan said, jumping back onto his bed.
"Your Majesty?" Kaeryd said, peering up at the king.
"Yes?"
"I have many things to tell you… and to ask you."
"Yes, yes of course! But you must rest for now. We will talk later when you're ready. We're holding a meeting tonight for our next plan of action. You will be there will you not?" Zarin said, raising his eyebrows at the boy who rose no further up than the king's shoulders.
"Wouldn't miss it."
"Oh and by the way, tell Etherian 'hello' for me," and with that the King left the hospital, guards close at his heels. Kaeryd didn't know what to tell him. Etherian and the King were great friends. It would hurt the jolly man deeply to learn that Etherian was dead.
No.
He isn't dead.
Kaeryd would not—no—he could not believe it.
Later that evening, Kaeryd and the remnants of the Silver Chaos gathered in an abandoned house on the outskirts of Falador.
"THIS IS INSANE!" Hale yelled and slammed his fist on the oak table.
"What are we going to do?" Eclipse sighed, standing a bit lopsided in the corner with crutches hunched under both his arms.
"The Silver Chaos is gone…" Jasmine said gloomily.
"No it isn't! We're still here aren't we? And there are a few more survivors in Taverly too!" Tysan said, optimistically determined.
"I guess…" Jasmine assented, though her voice still sounded unconvinced.
"Look, we have to do what we need to do, and what we need to do is guard the king," Auranus said, "Remember what Etherian said?" Auranus was Kaeryd's older brother. At the age of 17, he was Head Crafter of the Silver Chaos and an excellent archer. His weapon of choice was an enchanted bow carved from the wood of an ancient tree.
"Yep, we need to protect him. And since we have the orb that Etherian gave us," Hale nodded toward the foggy blue orb on the table, "We won't be possessed."
"We also need to warn the king about the approaching army of Misthalin," Enterran added.
"I agree. We also need to get out of here. There's no way Falador has enough men left to defend it," Eclipse nodded.
"Yup. So I suggest we retreat to the mines, and then take our secret tunnel to Taverly and meet up with Zac and Aghamand," Tysan suggested. Zac and Aghamand were friends of Tysan's.
"Yeah. We need to stick together now that Etherian's gone," Auranus said quietly.
"HE'S NOT GONE!" Kaeryd bellowed.
Everyone stared at him.
"I… I'm… I'm gonna take a walk," Kaeryd said nervously, cheeks hot, and hurried out into the evening.
"What was that about?" Enterran said.
"I'll talk to him," Jasmine said. She followed Kaeryd out.
Jasmine found Kaeryd walking along a charred fence.
"Hey! Wait up!" Jasmine hailed, coming alongside to walk with the boy.
"I don't want to talk," Kaeryd said quickly, turning away from the girl.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Then I will. Look, I know it's hard to let him go, but he's gone… We have to accept that," Jasmine said.
"I can't! He was my friend!" Kaeryd protested and stopped abruptly.
"Well he was mine too!" Jasmine replied, hands on hips, facing Kaeryd.
"I know... I just don't want to believe that he's gone… I mean the 'Great Etherian'… how could he have died?" Kaeryd uttered hopelessly.
"I don't have all the answers… but we must do what he told us to do," Jasmine let her arms dangle but fixed Kaeryd with her comforting tone.
"Yeah. I know, but what about the Silver Chaos? It's gone now that we don't have a Guild Master," Kaeryd said.
"The Silver Chaos might be over… but we can still help the world by getting rid of these Soul Reapers," Jasmine said. Strength was returning to her voice, and in turn, into Kaeryd's.
"Well anyway, we're late for the meeting," Kaeryd reminded her, changing subjects.
"Right, we better get going… the others are probably waiting," Jasmine led the way back to the rest of the guild.
The meeting was thankfully quick. After Kaeryd announced Etherian was gone and, after a stretched, tense silence ensued, all present agreed to evacuate Falador and escape into the neighboring dwarven mines. They had to retreat: they had no other choice. The army was much too enormous for the Faladoran defense, even with the leftovers of the Guild.
Evacuation to the mines began the next morning. The people of Falador moved quickly, clearly feeling the immense Misthalin Army on their heels. The townspeople, though disconsolate at having to leave their home, knew that if they stayed they would only perish with their beloved city. Kaeryd shared much of the people's sentiments; nonetheless, he rose and dressed as fast as he could. Donning his traditional black leather cloak and sheathing his two cherished scimitars, he trudged wearily into the town square. The square bustled with people rushing about trying to edge into the mines. One voice called out from among the clamor, causing Kaeryd to halt by a fountain.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Hale spoke as he walked up to Kaeryd.
"Aw, nothing just taking one last look at this place," Kaeryd gazed around the towering buildings and solid houses of Falador. He had made many memories in this place.
"Well we better go or they'll leave us," Hale warned.
"Yeah… let's go," Kaeryd replied.
As they drew nearer to the large crowds around the entrance to the mines, Kaeryd and Hale spotted a small group to the right of the entrance. Tysan sat atop Eclipse's shoulders and waved at Kaeryd. Eclipse showed no sign of weakness from the previous day's wounds. Kaeryd smiled and waved back.
"Took ya long enough!" Tysan exclaimed, half exasperated, as he climbed down.
"Yeah well, I'm here now, so let's go," Kaeryd answered and together they strolled down the path to the dark and eerie dwarven mines.
"Jeez, it's so cold in here," Jasmine complained, clinging to her robes.
"Oh come on Jas, it's nothing like when Etherian sent us up to Ice Mountain for 'training'," Kaeryd reminded her.
"Yeah but still… I know!" Jasmine waved her hand across two fire runes on her waist. The runes glowed and floated into the palm of her hand, in turn, causing her hand to glow as well. She then grasped the end of her staff and pressed hard. When she released it, the staff erupted into flames.
"There we go," Jasmine said and smiled satisfactorily.
"Keep moving people! Keep moving!"
Guards were moving people hastily into the mines, jostling for room among the villagers. Everyone tried to huddle around the few fires that had been created..
"Man, they're really pushing the villagers," Enterran pointed out.
"Yeah, but I'm sure they can handle it," Eclipse said confidently.
"I wonder where the king is…" Auranus wondered as he plucked his magic bow absentmindedly.
"No idea. I need to ask him something though, so I'll go look for him," Kaeryd said and stood up. As Kaeryd looked around he noticed that everyone was finally inside the mine. The guards were now barricading the entrance with shrub-sized gray boulders. Amongst it all, Kaeryd had no difficulty locating the king sitting atop an elevated throne.
"Greetings, your majesty," Kaeryd bowed respectfully.
"Hello, Kaeryd. What do you need?" King Zarin said and looked down upon Kaeryd with his usual smile.
"I was just wondering… what are we going to go? We can't stay in the mines forever," Kaeryd asked, straightening.
"Yes, I thought about that. We should take the people to Taverly. They would welcome us and the people would be safe there for the time--," Zarin was cut off.
Boom
"What was that?" Kaeryd's legs wobbled unsteadily as the ground shook.
"I don't know," Zarin said, looking worriedly up at the ceiling brimmed with sharp stalactites.
Boom
"THE ARMY IS HERE!" a guard shouted, his exclamation echoing off the stone walls. Kaeryd could discern distant cries and yells from the Misthalin army on the opposite side of the boulder wall.
Boom
"They're firing their catapults at the entrance!" another guard exclaimed.
"Oh no…. We must move on through the tunnels to Taverly!" the King shouted hastily, springing out of his throne, "Now! Blow the horn!"
A guard next to the king blew frantically into a brass horn, but not before the villagers were already beginning to rush deeper into the mines in panic.
Boom
"It might take awhile for them to break through," Kaeryd assured the King, though logically he wasn't so assured himself.
"Yes, of course…" the King said.
"I need to get back to the others..." Kaeryd quickly located Jasmine's magically ignited staff and found the group waiting for him.
"Come on we need to go!" Enterran yelled. They did not need to be told twice. About four hundred people were moving all at once. Absolute chaos reigned in the mines. Guards scattered everywhere were trying to organize the group to no avail. Kaeryd and company remained in the back of the crowd, helplessly watching the madness.
Boom
"That one was loud," Jasmine said worriedly.
Boom
"So was that one," Hale said, craning his head over his shoulder.
Then suddenly a wave of light poured into the cave.
"They're through!" a guard cried, despair clearly overtaking him.
"Shoot!"
Kaeryd unsheathed his weapons before he even thought to do it. Everyone around him followed suit.
"Keep moving," Kaeryd shouted to the villagers, "We'll hold them back!" As he turned his back to the Faldorans, and grit his teeth, the sounds of running boots charged through the rest of the boulders.
"AAAARRHHHH!" an earsplitting roar filled Kaeryd's ears.
"ATTACK!" a familiar voice commanded.
Sifias. I'll kill him for what he's done, thought Kaeryd, building up his rage. Hurriedly, he took out the orb Etherian had left behind with him, mimicking the way the former Guild Master had held it. Slowly, the orb started to emanate an ethereal glow.
Jasmine absorbed a few earth runes and waved her staff in a wide arch. A few stalactites rushed down as if pulled by a giant's hand and incapacitated some unlucky Soul Reapers, but it wasn't enough. The army reached the guards and the two armies collided.
"Eat this!" Hale yelled and stabbed a nearby black knight with his gargantuan blade. A few yards east stood Enterran and Kaeryd, back to back.
"Holy crap there's a lot of them," Enterran huffed, scanning the surrounding army.
"Less talk, Enterran," answered Kaeryd, moving from defense to striking motion and back.
"Sure thing," Enterran said and jumped toward the nearest Soul Reaper. Enterran parried a blow by a Soul Reaper and stabbed three of them at once.
"Bye," Enterran taunted and swung them across the cavern. Kaeryd stepped backwards to Enterran. He sidestepped to the left to avoid a crushing blow by a red-eyed knight. Kaeryd kneed him in the stomach and crushed the Reaper's spine with the hilt of his sword. He was then forced to duck as a screaming guard flew over his head.
"You're no match for the might of the Soul Reapers!" Sifias screamed over the war cries of the armies.
Kaeryd blocked a slash from a soldier and then swung upward with his other sword, slicing cleanly from navel to nose.
"I'm gonna get him…," Kaeryd growled, grinding his teeth.
"What? Wait!" Enterran screamed to his friend. Too late. Kaeryd absorbed an air rune and jumped up as high as he could without hitting the pointed ceiling, landing right next to a roaring Sifias.
"You… you were the one that escaped the other day," Sifias said with glowing, focused eyes.
"I'm gonna destroy you," Kaeryd sneered as sinisterly as he could. What was he thinking? If Etherian couldn't defeat him, how could he?
"In your dreams, defiler…," he mocked, smirking.
Defiler? He'd think about that later. Now was the time to kick butt. Kaeryd charged at Sifias, arms outstretched. Sifias stomped the ground and jagged rocks sprayed up from the ground at Kaeryd. Kaeryd quickly jumped up and struck at Sifias' head. Sifias blocked the fatal blow and pushed Kaeryd back. Then as Kaeryd was recovering he swung his giant battle-axe. Wind rippled out with such force that it slashed Kaeryd's chest, piercing his cloak.
"Agggh…" Kaeryd groaned and fell backward, the ground rushing up to smack his back.
Sifias approached him slowly, axe levelled at Kaeryd's neck.
"No…" Kaeryd breathed.
"The master would be proud," Sifias said.
Master? Who's his master…? Kaeryd had thought Sifias was the leader.
"Back off ugly!"
A figure jumped out from the crowd and landed behind Sifias. Sifias spun around and saw Hale standing with his sword held aloft.
"Eat it."
Hale swung his sword through Sifias' waist, cleanly splitting him in two. Hale ran up to Kaeryd.
"You okay?"
"Do I look okay?" came the hoarse reply.
A few yards away, Eclipse locked blades with a Soul Reaper. The Soul Reaper broke the lock and attacked. Eclipse blocked the slash with his rock-sturdy shield and swung hard at the knight's throat.
"We're losing… again," Eclipse said disdainfully.
"We need to fall back!" Auranus called around him as he shot another Soul Reaper with his bow, the arrow piercing to its feathers. The guards began to retreat deeper into the tunnel, little short of fleeing for their lives.
"Wait! Tysan! Get over here!" Hale called to his left. Tysan, who just finished knocking out an enemy soldier, hastened to Hale and a stretched out Kaeryd.
"Holy crap…" Tysan winced as he got close enough to see Kaeryd's bloody wound.
"Can you heal him?" Hale queried frantically.
"Yeah, but it'll take awhile."
"Come on! We're out of time," Auranus urged from a few meters to the right.
"Okay! I'll just bring him then," Hale said and heaved Kaeryd's body on his back.
"Owww…" Kaeryd groaned.
"Sorry," Hale apologized.
"Move, men, move!" Eclipse ordered to the remaining army. Kaeryd was slipping into a fuzzy sleep.
"Let's go!" Auranus screamed.
But then… Kaeryd saw him.
Etherian. Kaeryd could swear he saw Etherian among the Misthalin Army. He knew it was him. That hair and jawline, his clothes still exactly as they were the last time he saw the Guild Master. Etherian… it was him… except… his eyes. Red. Like the Reapers. Then, Kaeryd saw only darkness.