Betrayal - A BrightStone Saga Novella

-Natori-

Holding, they wait as Manu moves forward in search of the noise. Each step is carefully placed as not to attract attention to his movements. He slows his breathing, trying to still the anger that threatens to erupt from within as his thoughts turn to Freya and his beloved Maya.

Oh sweet, Maya. What they did to you I will never forgive. He clenches his fists as the anger continues to build. Freya, your time is coming, oh dear one. You will learn the full extent of my wrath, old friend.

With each step, Manu wades through the thick forest of ferns trying to make as little noise as possible. He stops every few seconds listening for some sign of her, still nothing. He turns, looking back over his shoulder at his men assembled behind him waiting like well-trained hounds.

Excellent, just the way I taught them. Let us go then.

Manu raises his hand once again, fist clenched and then pulls it downwards signalling for them to proceed. They instantly take up his call and follow, their footsteps even quieter than his.

Amazing! Just amazing, he says to himself as he turns his attention back to his task.

He waits for his men to stand level, then they move off together. They move forward branching into a V formation with Manu at its head. Pushing through the ferns, they travel deeper into the grove keeping their discipline, their footsteps nearly silent as they squelch ever so slightly in the softened ground below. With adrenaline pumping through their veins, each sense heightened to the fullest, they move with abated breath straining to hear just the faintest sound or murmur from their surroundings.

Manu stops them once again, and they fan out keeping an even pace between themselves. They stand ready; their feet splayed resting on the balls of their feet. They slow their breathing and reach for weapons of various kinds; some with short swords, some with single-edged long swords, two with recurve bows already strung their fingers reaching for an arrow to nock. Manu himself reaches for a short sword at his side, his fingers opening and closing around the hilt.

Without turning, he whispers, "It is too quiet." His head pivots, changing the position of his ear, they twitch as he listens once again. "Yes, too quiet indeed." He raises his left hand again, this time holding up four fingers and motions to the left, then he holds up another three motioning them to the right. The last two he sends to the rear as he releases his blade from its sheath at his side. The well-oiled blade comes out silently from years of practice.

Manu stands ready; his feet splayed as he pulls his blade up to eye level. Flicking them to the side he takes in his reflection; his stone-faced expression is taken over by the crimson that pours from his eyes. It fills his vision, red on red till he can see nothing else, his mind blocked from the world, his body tensed and frozen on the spot. All sound blocked from his ears, his mind falls deeper into the crimson depths.

"Manu?" comes the faintest whisper attempting to pull him from his thoughts before his mind is dragged back in.

"Manu?" a little clearer this time making his vision flicker black before returning to red.

"Commander!" The order comes through clearly, breaking him from the trance.

Manu looks around at his lieutenant, Bragar. His armour shining in the noon suns but his mask is missing, revealing a large scar starting at his jawline moving across his left cheek and stopping just short of his left eye.

"Bragar?" he asks as his mind continues to clear. "What..." he shakes his head before staring into his lieutenant's eyes. "Why do you look scared, Bragar? That is not how I trained you."

"Commander, we are under attack!"

"What! By who?" he demands.

His head whips around violently as the last word tumbles from his mouth. Three of his men were down already, dead before they hit the ground and another is in the process as he watches him fall, an arrow protruding from his throat. He hits the soft ground with a thud spurting his lifeblood in an arc as he dies with a gurgle.