Lost In The Realm

Chapter 6 Unwanted Guests

Lasar and Jeff were talking about the days ahead.
"You said the captain would be coming here shortly"? Lasar asked.
"Yes, he said he would meet us here in three days,that's today",Jeff answered.
"That's good,I hope he brings some men,"Lasar said looking around at the people picking the berries.
"You expect trouble,sir"?Jeff asked.
Lasar sighed,"maybe,it's just, I got this feeling that".He didn't finish his sentence as he unslung his bow.
"Grab your brother and some men and follow me",he shouted as he sprinted up the hill towards the woods.
"Gregg", Jeff shouted as he jumped up in the saddle of his horse.Gregg looked his way,Jeff pointed towards the half elf as he ran up the hill,he spured his horse forward to give chase. Jeff seeing the elf running he erged his horse to run. Passing a group of armed workers,Jeff called out,"follow me men",then hurried to catch up with his brother.
Lasar could see Glinda off in the distance was climbing up a steep cliff.A small boy ran the other way hollering for help.Lasar raced to get to Glinda.
Jeff entered a wooded area with patches of berries that grew shorter than the rest.Thats when he came upon the first body's.men and some women lay dead with their throats ripped out.As he past them he could see that they also had other wounds,like an animal had chewed on them.He hurried on.
Lasar saw the creatures ahead and could see that others were chasing Glinda.He notched an arrow and took aim at a large beast lungeing at Glinda.Lasar let the arrow fly and caught the beast in the throat as Glinda dropped from sight. Lasar jumped and spun into the air,notching another arrow as he did,he killed another.Notching his third arrow Lasar took out another of the foul beasts that was running at him. It hit the ground and slid past him,dead ,as three more were upon him in seconds.
Lasar didn't have time to notch another arrow, grabbing his bow with two hands he swung it at a creature,hitting it hard across the face,it whimpered stopping short.Three more came at once ,as he pulled his sword, he swung at another but just missed. From behind ,one latched onto his leg just above the knee and bit deep.Lasar swung down and removed the creatures head from its body. Lasar fell to one knee with the creatures jaw still clutching to his leg.
One larger creature pounced upon Lasar and pinned him to the ground, Lasar held his sword with two hands as the creature tried to bite his throat. The creature smelled like death and decay,Brite green foam and drool fell from its mouth as he tried to bite the half elf.
A large black shadow appeared over them, the creature flew off the half elf from being kicked by Jeff's steed. The other creatures backed off as more men with weapons entered on horse back. Two men attacked one of the creatures.
A tall man,with bright golden armor on a magnificent black stallion rode into a group of the wolf like creatures. He jumped down and sliced completely through the biggest beast with one swing of his long sword. He looked around at the scene before him. Many of the beast were lying about dead, with a couple of men who were wounded. He pointed to the remaining beast and his soldiers on horse back gave chase. Looking over to Lasar, who was using a dagger to pry the creatures jaw from his leg. He knelt down and removed his helmet.
Lasar looked up and smiled,"Captain",he said weakly, nodding his head respectfully.
"Lasar", the captain said with concern in his eyes. Taking off his gloves he pulled out a knife and cut the trousers around Lasar's wound. Lasar winced from the pain." We need a healer", looking up he saw Jeff close by. "Jeff, isn't it?"the captain asked. Jeff nodded as he came to attention."Ride back to camp and get my wife please," Jeff saluted then mounted his horse.
"No need, I'm here ,"said Glinda's mother,as her and Sans with other armed men and women rushed into the clearing.
"Mrs. Averon",Lasar said in greeting to Glinda's mother. Glinda's mother dropped down to inspect his wound.
Glinda's father,the Captain, stepped back to talk to Sans."How do we stand old friend",he said to Sans and the others that had gathered.
" So far ten, men, women, and three children have been found dead",Sans said gravely,"there are several people missing and a few wounded",Sans said.
Mrs.Averon looked to her husband,"we need to get him and the others to our wagon,that's where most of my medicine is",she said.The Captain indicated the remaining men and women to help carry them back.
Turning back to Lasar she placed her hand on his arm,"my daughter",?she asked. The captain came close hearing that question about his daughter. Lasar looked towards the cliff and pointed," I slew a great beast that was chasing her up there",he pointed,then looked at Mrs Averon,"I'm sorry",he said quietly.
Beth Averon eyes teared as she looked to her husband.
The Captain nodded, "Jeff grab some others ,your with me",looking at Sans,"Will you get everyone back to the wagons",he asked.
"Consider it done sir",Sans said,as he organized to have litter's made ready.
The captain turned and ran up the rock stairs to the cliff and the last place his daughter was seen.Others followed.
Coming to the edge of the cliff he looked down.About fifty feet down on a ledge he saw one of the creatures dead with an arrow sticking out it's throat. Further down probably another hundred feet or so he could just make out the tops of some tall pines shrouded in mist.Looking about he could see the river a few miles off. He could hear the roar of the falls off in a distance to the right of him.
Jeff,Gregg, and others stood by heads bowed, knowing no one could have survived that fall.
The Captain turned and looked at the boys as they stood at attention. He approached the brothers, putting his hand on Greg's shoulder, and senseing the lads sadness said,"come",and led them back to the horses.
Men had been busy,hauling the creatures to a pile of brush and stacking them on for burning. All the bodies had been cleared and we're going through the process of finding out who they were.
A group of soldiers coming fast reigned in,a Sargent saluted. "Captain you need to see this sir",he says.
The captain returned the salute then mounted his steed, looking over the remaining folks with him,"I think it's best if you return to your families and the safety of the wagons,thank you for your help",he looked at the two brothers,"fall in". They moved Their horses in with the squad of soldiers.
The captain followed the Sargent at a fast pace ,through the trees past the berry grounds, to a path into a dense forest. They were on a fairly open trail that was fresh cut. Soon there were signs that a battle was fought here. Bodies littered the edge of the path.
Beasts and some men in the mix of dead bodies.
They came upon a large camp,where many fires had burnt,some still smoking from recent use.
Another squad stood around a pile of dead men and another group were burning bodies of the creatures, off in the distance.
The Sargent signaled a stop. The Captain and Sargent dismounted,men came and took their horses.
"So what do we have here?, Justan" ,the captain asked the Sargent.
"Well sir we put chase to those beasts like you ordered sir, and the next thing we know ,we've got arrows coming at us from everywhere",said the Sargent.
"How many did you lose Justan?"asked the captain as he looked around at the camp.
"Well that's the thing,they weren't very good shots Sir,I mean a couple of the lads gots some wounds mind ya,but we were organized and surrounded them quick". And we made the bastards pay ",he said with pride in his eyes for his men.
The captain smiled at his Sargent,"tell the men they did good,and I'm proud of them,said the captain.
The captain walk over to the pile of bodies. They were dark skinned men.many were dressed the same ,long tunics, no trousers and hand made sandals with straps that ran up to their knees.Some wore long black robes of the southern dessert tribes.The pile of weapons were mostly short curved swords with a few daggers and short curved bows.
The Captain looked over the area,"this camps been here awhile I think",thinking out loud."Any survivors"?the captain asked.
"None here sir, but a group of them got away with some of those creatures before we got here,I've got some trackers out finding their trail sir,",said the Sargent.
"Very good",the captain went silent as he thought.
Jeff approached,"what were them creatures Sarge.
"Well son ,I don't rightly know,I remember reading in the archives at the academy about creatures from below the Calmer desert,that were changed by magic but that was a thousand years ago",said the Sargent.
The captain in deep thought looked back at the Sargent,"I've got to get word back to the general and the king,"he thought,"and I must recover my daughter's body".
"Sargent",he called. "Sir,"said the Sargent as he approached.
"Who among the men is your best scribe?and an artist would also help",asked the captain.
" Aron,Jim,front and center",the Sargent yelled.
Two soldiers ran up and stood at attention,"Sir".
The Sargent looked at the captain,then pointed at the soldiers,these are the best we have ,sir".
"Men, I have a job for you, who's the scribe"?he asked. Jim came forward.
"I want you to describe, in detail ,these men and beast, as best as you can.Also document the events of this day.And you", pointing at the other soldier, "your the artist"? "Yes Sir",said the soldier. "Good,draw every detail of these events",said the captain, "we will get together tonight to see what you have;,dismissed".
The soldiers scurried to fulfill their commanders orders.
"Sargent,when those two are done,burn the bodies and the creatures",said the captain."and get your wounded back to my wife at their camp".
"Yes Sir",said the Sargent.
The captain waved over two of the trackers that were detailed to his unit."men, take the two brothers,pointing at Gregg And Jeff, see if you can find a way down that cliff where my daughter fell",and if you find her",he hesitated,get a detail to help bring her back",the captain said quietly. Both men bowed low then waved at the brothers to follow and took off at a run. The brothers saluted the captain,then had to hurry their mounts to catch up with the trackers.
The captain watch them leave,"the trackers",he thought,they were legendary from Neftar,with inhuman speed as they ran,"were lucky to have them".