THE FOOTSTEPS OF EVIL

CHAPTER 3 Marching Orders

Telindhra stood before Akara in stony silence. Akara was obviously not pleased with what she had done.

"This is the second time that you have ventured out without the approval of your superiors. Though you are without a doubt a gifted warrior, perhaps the most gifted we have left Telindhra, it seems that you are inexperienced in the fine art of following orders." Akara veritably shook with rage as she shouted.

Telindhra opened her mouth to retort but was quickly cut off by the furious Akara. "Last time was forgotten only because we were aware of the value of the information you brought back, but this time is inexcusable! You deliberately disobeyed direct orders, especially in a matter of such strategic importance! To disobey orders on the field of battle can be punishable by death, are you aware of this?"

Telindhra knew Akara better than to fear for her life. However, the statements still brought a shiver to her spine as she realized the gravity of her actions. But she still couldn't help to defend herself.

"But we won! We defeated the stronghold, destroyed the evil in the den in its entirety."

"Yes, and by doing so you have brought the attention of the Blood Raven upon us! Attention we may not be ready for!" Akara shot back. "Enough of this for now, I need time to think, and you need to start on your punishment. I have seen to it that you will be on latrine duty all this week. Let us see if you can follow orders this time!" With a wave of her hand, Akara dismissed her.

Telindhra groaned. There was nothing she hated more than digging latrine trenches for the human waste that the camp produced. Sighing, she left Akara's tent to find a shovel.

Later, Kashya, leader of the Rogue warriors, entered Akara's tent. "The first blow has been struck."

"I know." Akara replied. "Like as not, it was probably for the best. We both know that outside aid won't come to us in time. All this cautious waiting is for nothing, despite what the Elders think."

Kashya nodded in agreement. "But the Elders refuse to see this. They are too afraid to move, even now. The first blow has been struck and we cannot convince them that our only hope is now to move forward with it. Every minute we wait allows Blood Raven to muster her forces against us." She slumped into a chair in defeat.

Akara sighed. "There is only one thing that I can do, only one way to press forward, that the Elder's will allow."

Kashya lifted her head in hope. "Tell me." As she listened to Akara's plan, her eyes widened in horror.

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Arc was dozing when he woke to hear his name being called called. Groggily, he stood and turned towards the voice to find the owner was the chain mail clad Rogue that he saw the day before.

"Greetings warrior. You are the one called Arc?" He nodded in affirmation. "I am Kashya, and I am the leader of the Rogue Warriors of this camp. If you will accompany me, you are invited to join our council."

Arc nodded his assent and walked to follow Kashya to the same large tent he saw last night.

As he stepped inside, he was greeted by nods of approval and even some clapping from some of the standing Rogue warriors. Kashya lead him to a table in the center where he was motioned to sit, next to Telindhra. She had a stunned expression on her face and barely noticed his arrival. Touching her hand, he smiled at her, thinking she was stunned by the enthusiasm of their victory. Perhaps she had been promoted or something.

"Arc deQuester." He looked up at the sound of his name. In front of him sat a conclave of five Rogues, all with the appearance of wisdom and experience. "We are the Rogue Elders and we head this council." Arc inclined his head and murmured a greeting.

The Rogue seated in the center spoke. Her words were friendly and her smile genial. "We have asked you here to thank you for your deeds today. We have heard impressive tales of you skill with the sword. You shall be an honored guest in our camp."

Then the second Rogue to the left spoke, and her face was grave. "We have also called you, however, to witness the decreed punishment upon the head of the Rogue Telindhra."

Arc looked around in confusion. "Punishment? What?"

The Rogue ignored him and continued. "Telindhra. For two counts of disobeying orders and one count of endangering your sisters through disorderly conduct, you have been found guilty. Do you accept this verdict?"

Telindhra's gaze rose to meet that of the Elders. "Yes."

The Rogue Elder nodded and continued. "Very well then. So your actions have started this battle, so shall your actions finish it. You are charged to defend your honor, by slaying the Blood Raven, Commander of the forces of darkness threatening this camp."

Arc leapt to his feet, unmindful of his chair skittering across the floor. "Now wait just a goddamn minute! This is how you treat your heroes? She risks her life for you people and you send her on a suicide mission on the same day?"

The Elder sitting on the far right replied. "We are not heartless, sir deQuester. We have heard the account that Telindhra has related. We have decreed that this punishment will only take effect if you agree to accompany her. Together, we all believe that you and Telindhra can succeed."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I have pressing business in Tristram, I must take my leave of this camp." Arc bowed and turned to leave.

But he spun around again when he heard a cynical laugh. "Selling your sword to the enemy already?" Telindhra spat.

Grabbing the Rogue by the shoulders, he tried to shake some sense into her. "Listen girl, I'm trying to save your skin. If you go, you're dead. Goddamn it they should be mustering their whole force, not sending a lone girl and a swordsman she hardly knows."

Telindhra violently shrugged his arms off her. "I bid you good day then sir." She turned away from him. "Nevertheless, I accept this charge. I shall leave immediately."

"What?!" Arc yelled in shock. "Are you crazy? What, you think you can just waltz into an army of undead and shoot their leader? You have no chance and you know it."

Refusing to answer, Telindhra stalked out of the tent. She'd leave immediately.

Telindhra was not ten minutes away from the camp when she realized someone was trying to catch up to her. Sighing in frustration, she continued to walk, refusing to turn and watch Arc run to catch up to her.

Soon, he reached her. "Wait up, geez." Arc said as he fell in step.

Telindhra tried to keep her temper and failed. Whirling, she confronted him.

"Tristram isn't this way, if your looking for some demon to pay you for murder, you know!"

"I'm not going to Tristram, at least, not yet." Arc continued to walk, not even stopping to talk. However, he did stop at the sound of an arrow being drawn and nocked into a bow.

"Haven't we gone through this before?"

"Well you are not coming with me. You said it yourself, it's a suicide mission, and I already owe you a debt. I refuse to owe two debts to the same stinking, honorless mercenary."

Arc sighed. This was going to be a long journey. The tentative camaraderie that they had in the Den of Evil seemed to have evaporated. "So what, you kill me? And you call me honorless."

"No, I don't kill you." Telindhra shot back furiously. "I shoot you in the leg, preventing you from following me, thus saving your life and clearing my debt." She drew back the string and aimed for his leg. "Unless you decide to go back to the camp on your own."

Arc nonchalantly began to study his fingernails. "Shoot me and you'll be disobeying orders again. Kashya will have your ears and Akara will have you digging latrines for the rest of your natural life."

Telindhra's face went a deep shade of red, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Arc leaned his head back and rolled his eyes. "Oh open your eyes, girl. They said they'd only let you go if I went too. If I hadn't agreed to come then your sisters would have nabbed you before you got to the gate. You'd be chained to town, digging latrines and serving your punishment." If possible, Telindhra went even redder. "In fact, Akara gave me this to show you." He fished a parchment from his pocket and offered it to her.

But when she refused to lower her bow and take the parchment, he shrugged and opened it himself. "Seems your hands are full at the moment. Why don't I read it?" He elaborately cleared his throat. "Rogue Telindhra. On this mission of utmost importance you have the faith and prayers of your sisters to guide your bow. You have been assigned to serve under Arc deQuester. . ."

"What?" Telindhra yelped in horror.

". . . He is your superior officer in battle and you shall follow his orders as you normally would any other orders. See that this time you actually do. Akara, High Priestess to the Sisters of the Sightless Eye." Arc threw the parchment to her feet and grinned smugly. Telindhra removed her arrow and slung her bow and hastily reached down to grab the parchment. Her fury was clearly written over her face as she read the message.

"Well, don't dawdle soldier, chop chop, lets go." Arc spouted, clapping his hands.

Telindhra closed her eyes, mastering her anger. Grinding her teeth, she muttered "Yes sir," and stalked off again.

Laughing, Arc followed.