Chapter 8: Forward
They hurried down the streets. It was day light the sun blinding their eyes after being in the dark for so long. They made their way to the gate they had come through. People in the streets and shops stared at them as they ran by. The gate neared and no sign of any guards were present.
"Get that gate open quickly!" said Valon bent over his hands on his knees.
Xev and Zanir ran over to the large wooden beam that was held in place. Before they touched the beam a whistle sounded through the air and Zanir was struck by an arrow that went half way through his left thigh. Zanir yelled out in agony and turned to his left where two guards had come running along the street. There was an archer about thirty feet behind them knocking another arrow.
"Get that gate open Xev. I'll take care of these bastards." said Zanir. He lifted his shield high and readied himself.
The archer sent another arrow slicing through the air this time embedding itself in Zanir's shield. Now the two soldiers were upon Zanir. They charged him and crashed into his shield knocking him back. He held his ground wincing at the pain in his thigh. A stab from one of their swords came around his shield where he bashed it away with the side of his shield then he spun around and slashed at them. They jumped back out of his range. Zanir charged this time and brought his sword down upon one guard cleaving halfway through his shield and the top of his head killing him instantly. The other soldier slashed at Zanir but he blocked it. Another arrow was fired at him and he caught it on his shield. The soldier stabbed at him from a distance with his spear but Zanir knocked it out of his hands and impaled the soldier through his breastplate.
The group of soldiers that had chased them from the dungeon came running at them.
Zanir dropped his sword and rolled towards the soldiers spear dodging another arrow whizzing by him. He picked up the spear turned and took two running steps ignoring the pain then launched the spear through the air towards the archer. It struck the archer straight in his chest passing nearly completely through he fell to the side dead.
Zanir limped over to the gate where Xev and Valon struggled to push it open.
"Stop where you are! Put down your weapons or I'll have you killed where you stand!" yelled the captain of the guard, his soldiers at his side spears at the ready.
The three of them were closed off it was fight the guards or surrender. Zanir turned to face the guards.
"You're a fool if you believe us to surrender. Do you know who we are?" stated Zanir. He knew he could kill seven of the twelve guards before they could take him down. It would be enough time to allow Valon and Xev to get the gate open.
"Do not try anything stupid boy. You cannot win and you know it. Now I say again-" he was interrupted.
"I am not a boy!" shouted Zanir.
Adrenaline surged through his veins. He ignored all else time slowed down his vision became crystal clear. An overwhelming sense of energy engulfed him and he leapt off the ground soaring over a dozen feet and landed upon the group. A shockwave reverberated from him as he came down on the captain throwing all of the soldiers aside. He felt the bones crumble beneath him. The soldiers remained unconscious on the ground.
Zanir stood up and stumbled towards the gate that was now open, Xev carrying Valon through. He was confused at first but knew that Valon had something to do with what he had done.
People screamed in the streets and the city erupted into chaos as they headed off into the cover of the woods a feeling of deja-vu. How many more cities to we have to narrowly escape death from? Zanir thought to himself.
They hid themselves in the cover of the treeline from which they had come two days before. Xev laid Valon down and turned to look through the branches. Gathering at the gate were groups of soldiers on horseback undoubtedly organizing to chase them down.
"We cannot stay here. Those riders will be on us in no time." Valon said between breaths. "I need to regain my strength if we are to fight them off."
"I'm too weak to fight Valon. I do not have the power you gave me." said Xev kneeling down.
"I gave it to you only temporarily. It is a strong force that can drive men mad if they use it repeatedly." Explained Valon. He placed his hand on the tree he was leaning against and slowly drained it of life but not enough to kill it.
"I have a plan. I need to drain more energy from these trees and once I am capable I can try to cloak us from the horses. It will only hide us from direct sight but not our shadows or foot prints." Valon continued to drain energy slowly replenishing his self.
"The horses will smell us Valon. " stated Zanir leaning against a tree. "Can you heal my leg before anything else." He looked down where the arrow still protruded, fresh blood streaming down his leg soaking his boot. "I can barely remain conscious."
"Of course. If it comes down to a fight we need you to hold them back." Said Valon. He walked over and snapped the end of the arrow off. Then he quickly pulled the other end out and healed the entry and exit wound over.
"Hold on. I'll give you some energy it won't be much try not to over exert yourself. Xev you as well." said Valon. He gave them both enough to be able to fight for a short period but without food or proper rest they will run low quickly.
A horn sounded outside Arinstall and the riders began towards the forest.
"Stay low to the ground. Xev hide behind that tree. Zanir you hide behind the tree next to it. We'll funnel them between the two trees and wait until the group has passed then we'll pick off the soldier in the back." Explained Valon, "I'll stay back and keep us all cloaked. I'll give you the signal to engage."
The horses entered the treeline and followed the tracks left from Valon and the two brothers. They headed straight towards their ambush. Xev kept his back to the tree knees bent ready to strike the last rider. The first horse barreled past them oblivious to the trap followed by four others. Zanir held his breath and prepared himself. The last rider past between the trees and Xev got the signal from Valon. Silently Xev leapt up from behind the tree and embedded his sword into the soldier's side under his breastplate. He screamed out but Valon had cast a spell which rendered him and the horse inaudible. Zanir grabbed the soldier's body before it fell to the ground out of the horse's saddle.
Zanir lowered the dying soldier to the ground and dispatched him with a stab in the heart. Zanir shoved the dead body off of him and lay breathing heavily. The four remaining soldiers rode off without noticing they lost a comrade.
"Quickly hide the body before they return. They most likely have lost our tracks and will double back." Said Valon as he and Xev dragged the body into a nearby bush. "If we can kill them and take their horses we can ride out of here-" He was cut off.
Horses neighed off in the distance and commands were given. The riders turned back. The rider less horse slowed and began wondering off in the forest. They noticed it and the four men began to panic.
"Show yourselves you demons! Fight us like real men not like the magic using cowards you are!" shouted the leader.
They slowly approached close to where Valon, Xev and Zanir remained cloaked in the bushes. The soldier's horses whined madly and became restless bumping into each other.
Valon motioned to Xev to take the one on the far right and to Zanir the two on the left. Valon would kill the leader.
Xev slowly moved through the shadows of the bushes around to the right of the group and readied himself slightly behind the riders. Zanir moved in closer to the front of the group and kneeled behind a bush. Valon nodded to Xev to attack first.
Xev silently leapt to the soldier and ran his sword through the soldier's back. He screamed wickedly and fell from his horse. The other 3 shuddered and turned their horses to face Xev.
"Kill him now!" shouted the leader.
Before they could engaged Xev, Zanir roared and charged at the group of soldiers he jumped and cleaved his sword clean through a rider's neck his head lopped off. Valon had the leader held in place unable to move. The last solider tried to flee but Xev finished him off with a quick back stab.
Valon revealed himself and walked up to the leader who he had lowered to the ground with magic. The leader had a frozen look of horror on his face as he remained on his knees his right hand around his sword in striking position.
Zanir fell to one of his knees and Xev slowly walked over to where Valon stood in front of the leader.
"Is there anyone else after us?" questioned Valon to the leader.
"He will find you…" stated the leader with a demented smile and began laughing manically.
"Kill that fool." said Zanir while staring at the leader. "He'll tell the others which direction we go."
"No. They'll see our tracks anyways." Said Valon. "Grab the horses and check their supplies. We'll need them for where we're going." He kept the leader in place. "Prey your comrades find you before the beasts do." He said to the leader who was still laughing.
Xev went and grabbed the reins of one of the horses that were off in the bush confused. Zanir grabbed one as well. Valon took the leaders horse and looked through the bags.
"There's some bread and dried meat in these bags and a few blankets. What's in the other bags?" questioned Valon to Xev and Zanir.
"This one has the same as well as a bow with about a dozen arrows." Said Xev as he leapt up onto the horse.
"Just a basic traveling pack same as yours some coin purses. This guy must have won some bets." Chuckled Zanir as he rummaged through the packs. He mounted the horse.
"Good. Let's go. Follow me." Said Valon he led the group off north of Arinstall.
"You're dead men! All of you are dead men!" yelled the leader foaming at his mouth laughing like a mad man as the trio rode away.