Tess had been expecting a graveyard when she heard of the Boneyard. Instead, she was surprised by ships that had been torn apart with only a few parts hanging loosely from the frames in a marsh with salty water. There was plenty of junk around the Boneyard with the druid realizing that this place was not healthy for the environment. Although the Boneyard wasn't the graveyard she expected, Tess wouldn't be surprised if there were corpses hidden in the piles of scrap throughout the marsh. She had spent too much time in Riddleport to think otherwise.
It was difficult to see at night with Sarek casting a spell to help guide the way through the mist coming from the water. Although she had her problems with the sorcerer, Tess stepped up to help lead the way along with Cassiel. The Boneyard was more wilderness than city, and despite the junk, she felt more comfortable navigating her way through. The water rose up two or three feet, and while Belar could push on and Madia rode atop Marlowe, it wouldn't do the group any good to step into a deeper pool.
"So," Belar started, not bothering with an attempt to whisper. "Any idea where the Spar is?"
"Huh," Madia gasped. "I think we forgot to ask for directions."
"We'll find the way," Tess said, not looking back at the others.
"You think that Saul would have given us directions if he didn't want us to stumble around in the dark," Keya noted in an accusing manner.
"He has a lot on his mind and it's not like we asked for directions," Sarek pointed out. "We continue on. Tess will find them."
"I don't doubt that," Keya said. "I just think we're going to lose our element of surprise when we find the meeting."
Given how tense the situation was, the group remained silent. Tess overheard Sarek casting a spell and imagined that he was focused on protecting himself if they were spotted like Keya thought. So far, the Boneyard was quiet with even the wind dying down. Tess couldn't help but frown. She hoped that they were quiet enough to go unnoticed but worried over the idea of stumbling into a fight that they were unprepared for.
Finally, Tess spotted a flickering light from a ship's rigging. She didn't think that the light was natural, and after looking around, spotted five figures standing underneath a lantern hung by the rigging. The druid couldn't make out any details of those attending the meeting given the distance and darkness but she did let her companions know by pressing her fingers to her lips, signaling to be quiet. Tess carefully examined the marshy ground leading up to the meeting to see how deep the water was. With a sigh, she shook her head.
"There's a deep pool up ahead," Tess whispered. "At least five feet deep. Some of us will be able to trudge through it if we're careful."
"Which means us short folk are out of luck," Belar grumbled, and after seeing the others glared at him, took the message to be quieter. "Fine. I'll take the western island and get into a position to flank in case a fight breaks out. It shouldn't be too difficult of a climb."
"I'll come with," Madia nodded in agreement.
"That leaves the four of us to get in closer and see what Boss Croat is up to," Sarek said, smirking. "Six against five. If they spot us, I think we'll be fine."
"Your vote of confidence is reassuring," Keya said with obvious sarcasm, earning a frown from Sarek. "Let's get this over with."
Belar made for the side of the hill to the west with Madia tugging Marlowe in his direction. Ryland, unafraid of whatever was coming up, made his way forward. Tess followed after him with Keya and Sarek following after them. The four descended into the deeper pool with the water reaching to their chests. Tess grimaced with how cold the marsh water was but pushed forward, climbing out of the pool behind Ryland. As for Cassiel, the panther leaped across the pool with ease to rejoin his companion.
While waiting for Sarek and Keya to get out of the pool, Tess focused on the meeting. They were close to the group but concealed in darkness. Yet, something felt off, and it wasn't just her own distrust over Saul. After a moment, she noticed that the five cloaked figures were completely silent. Even if they were whispering, the druid thought that she would have heard some sort of sound. Tess reached over her back to pull out her quarterstaff.
"Something's wrong," Tess whispered. "It's too quiet."
"Wouldn't that be a good sign?" Sarek asked quietly.
"They're too still," Ryland noted.
"It's an ambush!" an unfamiliar voice called out.
Tess' eyes darted around the area rapidly, trying to find out who called the warning. She wasn't confident that she found the stranger but she noticed a cloaked figure to the east with a bow in hand. Sarek wasted no time in blasting the figure with an arcane dart. Ryland pulled out his longsword and ran after the figure, but before he could make it, he started striking at the ground instead. Ignoring the fake meeting, Tess went after Ryland and spotted what he fought.
There were hundreds of cockroaches blocking Ryland's way and Tess recognized them as a breed that fed on human flesh. His blade was stained with several slain roaches but he needed help. Tess stood by his side and made a sweeping attack against the roaches with her quarterstaff across the water, destroying many of the bugs. She and Ryland backed away from their approach with Cassiel leaping in. The panther was vicious with his claw swipes, and soon, the dangerous swarm dispersed.
With the cockroaches dealt with, Tess turned to face the hooded archer. Before she or Ryland could advance further, two arrows suddenly struck the rogue, who fell into the pool. The druid followed the trajectory of the arrows and spotted another cloaked archer. She was worried that she spotted another attacker before realizing that whoever it was waved at her. Whoever the stranger was, they were doing what they could to help Tess and her friends.
"There's two more on the eastern hill!" the stranger called out, his voice clearly masculine. "Look out!"
Tess turned in the direction in time to see two cloaked figures, one of whom fired an arrow out at Keya. The half-elf gasped when the arrow embedded itself into one of the cloaked figures in the center that she tried to investigate. The druid noticed that the other ambusher was facing the south and she remembered that Belar and Madia were on that hill as well.
"They're all dummies," Keya said, hiding behind another of the individuals in the circles.
"I agree that they're foolish enough to attack us," Sarek nodded, pointing the palm of his hand at the hill.
"No, I mean that these five are practice dummies," Keya shouted back. "Someone remind me to get a bow one of these days!"
"Come on, Ryland," Tess told her friend. "We have to help Belar and Madia."
Ryland nodded in agreement and ran along with Tess and Cassiel toward the eastern hill. They didn't have any ranged weapons so they needed to climb up to join the fight. By the time that they made it to the top of the hill, the archer that shot at Keya had been killed, weakened by Sarek's magical assault before their mysterious ally shot the archer down with an arrow to the throat. Belar lunged at the remaining attacker, slamming his fist into his gut.
The force of the attack was enough to knock the ambusher's hood back. Tess gasped in surprise to see that they were dealing with no normal foe. Instead of a human or half-orc like the group expected, the druid was shocked to see that their attacker's face was that of a rat. Tess heard stories of lycanthropes, and looking down at her quarterstaff, she realized how ill-equipped she was to deal with the threat.
Still, Tess knew that she had to try.
Ryland charged forward, slashing his longsword across the wererat's shoulder. Tess followed behind her friend, landing a glancing blow across his face with her wooden staff. It was then that Madia, covered in a weird goo, rode Marlowe into battle. The dog bit down on the wererat's leg and he screeched out in pain. The wererat, knowing that the battle was lost, pulled himself free from Marlowe's jaw and started to run away. Before he got far, an arrow slammed into his back and he fell down, unmoving.
With the sounds of the battle dying down, Tess believed that the skirmish was over and sighed in relief. Ryland approached the dead wererat and pulled the arrow out.
"Silver," Ryland noted, examining the arrowhead.
"Since when did we have an archer in our group?" Belar questioned.
"Since a minute ago," Tess said, looking over Belar and Madia. "Are either of you hurt?"
Madia shook her head. "Marlowe and I are fine. One of the archers threw some sort of sticky sap that we had to get out."
"I'll get by," Belar said, gesturing to his bloody forearm. "The rat tried to take a bite out of me."
"Lycanthrophy spreads through bites," Ryland noted, now down on the ground to search the dead wererat's belongings.
"Because I'll be a terror to Riddleport if I can turn into a rat," Belar rolled his eyes. "If I'm infected, I'll deal with it. Let's get moving. It looks like Sarek and Keya are meeting our new friend."
"You go on without me," Madia told the others. "I'm going to try washing some of this sap off of Marlowe. If there's any further trouble, call out and we'll come around."
Tess turned back to the site of the fake meeting to confirm that Belar was right. Sarek and Keya were approaching the archer, who slid down the hill to meet them. The druid, the brawler, and the panther made their way over to them with Ryland staying behind to search the wererats. It was strange that he was focused on looting the fallen but Tess figured that he had his own reasoning for it rather than meeting their rescuer.
When Tess and Belar grew closer to their companions, she saw Keya step between Sarek and the archer. The sorcerer had his hands balled up into fists.
"You may have saved us but that doesn't mean you're our friend," Sarek said bitterly. "We do not have the same enemy!"
"Easy, Sarek!" Keya told the sorcerer. "I say we hear him out. He did most of the fighting for us so he deserves that much."
"Tell that to the wererat that bit me," Belar grunted, crossing his arms.
"Would you care for a potion to tend to your injuries?" the hooded archer asked, unconcerned about Sarek's threats. "I have potions to spare."
The offer was enough for Belar to relax and he grinned. "I like you already!"
Tess watched the archer step forward to hand a vial of green liquid to the dwarf. Keya continued to keep herself between Sarek and their savior. The archer pulled his hood down and Tess gasped to see that he was an elf. He was only an inch taller than her and his eyes were a bright violet. His skin was darker than Tess' and his hair was bright silver. Underneath his cloak, he wore leather armor with short sleeves, showing his toned muscles and that his left arm was tattooed. He smiled when he noticed the druid looking at her and she looked away, blushing.
Keya was also taken in by the stranger's good looks and looked at him with wide eyes. "You should save my life more often."
The elf chuckled. "I hope that won't be needed."
"It won't be needed because we're done here," Sarek told the elf. "Go along now."
"What's the matter, Sarek?" Tess questioned, regaining her composure. "Who does he claim to be our enemy?"
"Saul Vancaskerkin is your enemy," the elf archer explained. "I can go into more detail but we should head to my camp. There's no telling who could be listening in."
"After everything he's done for us, do you expect us to believe that Saul hired wererats to kill us?" Sarek said in an accusing manner. "How do we know we can trust you?"
"He did save our lives," Keya reminded the sorcerer.
"Who's side are you on?!" Sarek turned to face his companions. "Am I the only one who thinks Saul wouldn't do this?"
Tess and Keya both remained quiet, showing their support for their savior. Belar shrugged at Sarek's question and tossed the empty vial aside, the glass shattering to break the silence. Sarek threw his hands up in the air while the elf archer turned to focus on him.
"I've seen what you've done for Saul but I believe that while he was willing to use all of you as his pawns that you're good people. Please, trust me."
"It's your word against his," Sarek shook his head. "Is there any proof of your claims?"
"Aside from my word, you could check the dead wererats," the elf archer offered. "They might have something on them."
The suggestion reminded Tess of Ryland looting the wererat, and when she turned to the hill he was on, she saw him silently approach the group. "Over here, Ryland!"
Ryland stepped forward with everyone turning to face him. He held up a piece of parchment in one hand.
"This is a coded message," Ryland revealed.
"So we break the code and go after who's really behind this," Sarek said, casting a suspicious glance toward the archer.
"I've already done so," Ryland told Sarek, lowering his hand. "Saul Vancaskerkin sent us here aware we were going into a trap."
"I knew it!" Keya exclaimed.
"You're wrong," Sarek shook his head, yet Tess could see his voice cracking.
"I'm sorry, Sarek," Tess bowed her head and placed a hand on the sorcerer's shoulder. "I truly am."
For all the problems she had with him, Tess knew that Sarek was in pain at the betrayal. He tried to remain focused but the fight faded away from his face and his shoulders sulked down. He shrugged Tess' hand off his shoulder and turned around, shouting aimlessly into the Boneyard. It would take time to get over the pain of being used by someone he trusted, but now, Tess and the others could be there for him.
Ryland turned to the archer as if he noticed the elf for the first time. "Who are you?"
"My name is Kwava," the elf introduced. "There's a lot I have to share with all of you. Please, if you don't mind, follow me."
A/N: So, I wasn't able to get this chapter up on the 31st, but here we are with another update.
As I am now working on another fanfiction project for February, Shadow in the Sky will continue at a reduced pace compared to last month. I will focus on continuing this story during my writing days on Tuesday, along with Seven Days to the Grave.
Even with a slower pace, this story should be finished soon enough now that we're reaching the climax.
Until next time.