The Tribes of K'haren - Completed

Chapter 21.3

The others didn't react until the first soldier sent a blow towards Raf which he easily retaliated. Phraio are so slow, he thought to himself. His strike came swiftly and took the man down at once but another was sure to take his place. Letting his gaze wander, Raf estimated there to be about two dozen soldiers circling them and about another dozen attacking the remaining Phraio, who were all attempting to flee rather than fight back. Now Raf could see Nume and Kran climb back on Bay whose tail was twitching nervously. Before Tarlequin could join them, a foolish soldier tried to strike Bay and was quickly ripped apart by her mighty jaw.

'Stop! We don't want to fight!' Nume's voice echoed over their heads but it was too late, nobody was listening anymore, many Phraio went down under Raf's sword and Bay went into rage once she smelled his blood trickling out of a small wound on Raf's arm. Regardless of the Phraio on her back, she knocked down a row of soldiers, sent one man to the ground with a blow of her paw and dug her claws right into the fallen men below her.

At first, Tarlequin had been hiding between Raf and Bay, but now he grabbed a sword from a fallen man and attempted to defend himself. But before he got a chance, he felt claws dig into his shoulders and found himself flying just above the ground moments later. Looking up, he saw Feyn carrying him. She couldn't carry him very far but it sufficed to get him out of the circle of soldiers and from there he ignored her order to run and turned on a soldier's back instead.

Tarlequin hated fights, he hated war and he hated death, but he was angry and sad and the only friends he still had were in danger, so he lifted the sword above his head and let it cut into the soldier's shoulder. The strike wasn't deadly but it took the man down. To Tarlequin's surprise, the blade got stuck in the soldier's body and so the bard was once more unarmed and now also unwilling to take another weapon in his hands. Instead, he kicked the leg of a nearby man and punched another in the back, causing him to cough and stumble wherefore Raf easily took him down.

There was too much blood around and Tarlequin felt how it made him dizzy. He stumbled backwards, away from the fight and only came to a halt after a few steps. His vision was blurred and he struggled not to throw up or faint but he could still clearly see Nume and Kran sitting on Bay. They were being shaken violently due to the Baymout's sudden movements. Then the creature turned around and jumped out of the circle, throwing yet another row of soldiers to the ground. There were only a few of them left standing so even Arlo himself joined the fight, facing Raf.

Tarlequin's vision went all black and before he passed out, the last thing he saw was Nume holding out a hand for him. He felt a heavy knock on the back of his head after that but then he passed out completely.

When Tarlequin woke up again, everything was pitch black. At first, he thought it was just his eyes, but when he lifted his head a little bit, he could see the blue moon in the distance, trying to fight the darkness. A sudden pain dug deep into his skull so Tarlequin lowered his head again, lying flat on the ground. He didn't know what was going on, was it really night already? Could it be? It had nearly been nightfall when they had arrived at the battlefield...

The battlefield. There had been a fight.

What had happened? Why did his head hurt so much? Tarlequin tried once more to sit up but he had to give up trying. Lying there, unable to see anything, he decided to listen to his other senses instead. He felt that the ground was wet and uncomfortably warmish. But the air was cold the way it usually only was far up in the mountains. And there was a scent in it, it was more than just blood and decay Tarlequin could smell, there was also a hint of petrichor and fear in it. And then he heard it.

Silence.

There was nothing to be heard. Not a single blade of grass moved, everything was absolutely silent. Tarlequin couldn't even hear his own breath nor the blood rushing through his veins. Was he dead? No, dead people don't think nor do they feel. Unless of course they have been taken by the queen herself. But she'd never claim his soul, he was no use in a fight, after all, just like Raf had said.

Raf. Where was he? And where were Nume and Kran? Had Feyn taken them away? Had Bay carried them to safety? Did they think he was dead and leave them behind? How long had he been passed out for?

With great effort, Tarlequin pushed himself up into a seated position. Looking around, he could see silhouettes moving and for a moment, his heart stopped, fearing they might be hostile Phraio. But they weren't, and they weren't his friends either, their shapes didn't make any sense. Tarlequin couldn't see much against the dark sky but what he saw froze the blood in his veins. He didn't dare to move nor even breathe anymore. When he saw her, even his heart decided to take a break. Had he not been so frightened, he would have scolded it for beating again after a few moments.

When all is dark and cold and lost...

Her voice was seducing and yet terrifying.

My love shall die within a frost

His dying heart will call for me

The one with whom he longs to be

Tarlequin tried not to listen, tried to shut his ears and not hear her calling. Even if he sensed it wasn't meant for him, he realised that he himself had to be on the brink of death to be able to hear her at all.

And here I am, at last, with you

And look, the moon is shining blue

Now is the time, come follow me

For in my ranks you shall soon be

Despite wanting to, Tarlequin couldn't close his eyes anymore. The night was shining blue now and he could see her face as she bowed down near him, lurking above her victim. When she stood back up, so did her prey, and Tarlequin stared in shock. The curse had claimed its victim, at last. But death would have been less cruel indeed. When Raf gazed down at his friend, Tarlequin still couldn't believe it. Everything was silent again and he could see Raf's lips move but the words didn't reach him.

Tarlequin watched as Raf turned to the queen and said something to her. Their conversation was inaudible to him until suddenly, the queen faced him and eyed him up curiously.

'So what is it that you so desperately need to tell him?' she asked, sounding rather curious. Raf replied something but Tarlequin didn't hear his voice. The queen smiled and Tarlequin froze once again. She looked just too much like a Siren, maybe she had once been one, before she had claimed to reign the underworld.

'Your friend here wants to tell you something.' She whispered into Tarlequin's ear. 'But I cannot let any mortal hear his voice. So I will grant him this one wish and tell you myself, sounds like a fun game, don't you think? Now, listen carefully, he wants you to tell the others about the boy. He says he knew this was going to happen. Seemingly, you have a young foreteller at hand, and if you're lucky, or, actually, not very lucky at all, then he's the one I think he might be. Beware, he is much more than you might think. And don't you dare die now, where would be the fun in that?'

Her whispers scratched on Tarlequin's mind but he wasn't fully there anymore until her index finger touched his lips and the cold was so painful, he was sure his lips would freeze and fall off. But then, a bright light filled his vision, growing ever bigger and brighter, even after he closed his eyes.

//Thanks for reading, here's another poem:

You want to know the sacrifice

and wonder, trial or surprise

Our heroes' eyes will set upon?

Just one quick vote and they'll go on.