Table flippers get ready XD
Warnings: mentions of gore/blood, mentions of death, violence
~Jerome's P.O.V.~
"Ok so, let me get this straight." Preston begins. "You killed Jasper, one of the top six mages in the ENTIRE world, with a stick?"
"Well yea, I guess." Lachlan mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. "But it was enchanted with who knows what, and it was literally do or die. It feels bad man. Xenos was super upset."
Rob nods solemnly. "I can imagine. Xenos and Jasper grew up together, so they were really close. But I understand you had to do it, because it sounds like Jasper was seconds away from killing you there."
Lachlan shivers, rubbing at his palms. "Don't remind me. The only thing stopping his sword from slicing my throat was my bare hands, and the blade cut right down to the bones, too."
A heavy silence then falls on all of us, no one really sure what to say. We're still all sitting at the river, sharing our sides of the challenge. Mitch and I are still kinda embarrassed about how we got caught so easily. It's not like me, and it's certainty not like Mitch to be slacking off like that. If they were trying to actually kill us, we would have had no chance. And so, it's with that thought that an idea forms in my head.
"Hey guys I have an idea."
Vikk looks up at me. "Let's hear it."
"I'm not sure if you guys have noticed it, but recently it seems we've been losing our edge. For example Mitch and I were actually caught slacking off, and could barley even defend ourselves. Usually we'd be on high alert, and we probs lay could've stopped most if not all of them."
Mitch tilts his head. "You're right. So what are you trying to get at?"
A ghost of a smile touches my lips. "How about we have a little training session? Nothing big, just a couple one on one matches. It's been a while since we've all practiced, and who knows, it might give us that extra edge when Preston challenges the Rouge kingdom."
"I'm game." Preston declares, everyone else voicing their agreements.
"Where should we do it?" Rob inquires.
"I was gonna say 'Right here right now.', but it's getting pretty late, and I don't wanna be stuck out here with a bunch of mobs. So how about we build a temporary shelter for tonight, rest up, and then spar in the morning?" I suggest, nodding towards the steadily sinking sun.
"Sure."
"Fine by me."
"Sounds good."
"Good idea."
"Yeah, sure."
Everyone agrees at once.
"Alright, let's get to it then."
~~~
~3rd P.O.V.~
The moon hasn't even reached its peak when Jerome awakes suddenly, eyes snapping open as he sits up quickly in bed. He swears to himself we heard something outside, and breathes quietly, straining to pick up on the noise again, eyes scanning the room carefully. Preston is snoring lightly, the blanket draped over him concealing most of his warm glow. Rob is hugging his pillow tightly, legs slightly tucked in, movements under his eyelids indicating he's dreaming. Lachlan is sprawled out on his back, one leg hanging off the bed, a small trail of drool dripping from his mouth, ever so slightly gaping open. Vikk is lying on his stomach, face nuzzled into his pillow, breathing muffled. Mitch is on his side, eyes shut peacefully, a ghost of a smile on his lips as his chest rises and falls steadily. He hears the rustle again, coming from us outside their small wooden hut. So if they're all in here... Then who's outside?
It's probably an animal. Jerome tries to reason, slipping back under his covers. But even still, Jerome keeps his eyes open, gazing blankly at the wall opposing him, listening closely to any sounds other than Preston's soft snoring.
Rustle rustle
And there it is again. A faint, barley audible, rustling coming from somewhere outside. Jerome's brow furrows and he sits back up, swinging his legs over the side of his bed, and quietly rising to his feet. It's probably still animals... But I guess it wouldn't hurt to check just in case. Jerome figures, silently padding over to the door.
Jerome peeks through the small window on the door, eyes accustomed to the darkness, and scanning the surrounding brush. He can hear the soft lapping of water from behind, where the river borders one side of their hut. Everything seems still, with no animal or person in sight. When suddenly, movement catches his eye, accompanied by another rustling. Jerome squints hard, focusing on the bushes. Then his eyes snap open as suddenly a figure is stepping from the bushes, creeping towards the hut, moonlight glinting off a shining blade. Two more figures follow behind it. Jerome gasps lightly, and slinks back into the room, hastily turning and shaking Mitch's shoulder, trying to rouse him.
"Mitch. Mitch wake up." Jerome hisses urgently, Mitch groaning and cracking open his eyes.
"Mm what's up Jerome...?" Mitch asks tiredly, speech slurred.
"There's people outside. I think they're trying to ambush us." Jerome reports in a loud whisper.
This grabs Mitch attention. He abruptly stands, all traces of drowsiness suddenly gone as he brushes past Jerome to peek out the door. They're only about fifteen blocks away now, and now large numbers of figures have joined the three, staying a few paces back. Mitch estimates about thirty, carrying weapons and other shadowed items he can't distinguish. Mitch curses under his breath, ducking back out of the doorway.
"Wake the others." Mitch whispers, urgency evident in his voice and expression.
They've just begun to wake Preston and Rob when suddenly the door is being kicked in, and a small feathered dart is whizzing into the room, sinking into the back of Jerome's neck. He yelps momentarily in pain, and then Jerome's eyes flutter closed, and he collapses on top of Rob. Rob cries out in shock, and scrambles out from underneath Jerome, checking frantically to make sure he's okay. Mitch glares and draws his bow, aiming at the door, Preston shooting out of bed, startled and yelling 'what's happening?!'. The commotion rouses both Vikk and Lachlan, who by the time are fully awake and realize they're under attack, Rob has been pricked by a dart and collapses next to Jerome.
"Block off the doorway!" Mitch growls, arrow still notched and ready to fire at a moments notice.
Preston leaps into action, still confused but getting the importance of the command. He places down two dirt blocks in the doorway, only seconds before another dart can fly into the room.
"What's going on?" Lachlan demands, drawing an iron sword.
"Ambush. Hurry, break down the wall so we can get out." Mitch orders, throwing on his diamond armour. "And make sure to put armour on, they have sleeping darts."
Preston, Lachlan, and Vikk throw on sets of diamond armour, and then Vikk chops through the wall with an axe, the four quickly rushing out of the room. Inside the shadowed figures have broken past the dirt barrier, and are working at binding the unconscious Jerome and Rob with ropes and gags, one of them pulling out two large burlap sacks. It doesn't take long for the other twenty some kidnappers to round the hut, surrounding them from three sides, the river stretching out behind them. The kidnappers make a half hearted attempt to pelt Mitch, Lachlan, Vikk, and Preston with more darts, but they bounce harmlessly off their diamond armour. Mitch lets several arrows fly, but their either dodged or deflected, and the kidnappers continue to slowly creep in.
"This is bad." Preston mumbles, everyone pulling out weapons and shields, preparing to defend themselves.
Suddenly six or seven others burst from underneath the waters surface, dark blue swirls of water breathing particles rising steadily from them. They aim for Lachlan, who whirls around to cut one of them down with his sword, but can't stop the others quick enough to stop them from tackling him and wrestling him to the ground. Preston, Mitch, and Vikk cry in alarm, moving to help Lachlan, only to be held off by the rest of the kidnappers. Lachlan thrashes and squirms to no avail, and suddenly goes limp as one delivers a nasty blow, his fist connecting firmly with the bottom of Lachlan's jaw. Mitch, Vikk, and Preston watch helplessly as they bind and gag Lachlan, stuffing him into a sack like Jerome and Rob.
"We need to get outta here." Vikk states, a hint of panic rising in his voice.
"It's going to be hard, they're surrounding us from all angles." Mitch points out, managing to sink an arrow through one of them.
Preston debates heating up and trying to burn them. But then he considers the little space he has to maneuver, and that he'll almost certainly hurt Vikk and Mitch in the process. With a pout of annoyance, Preston decides against it. But as Mitch cries out in surprise, annoyance turns to fear, and Preston a manages to catch sight of a tiny dart sticking out of Mitch's forearm before he crumples to the ground. Panic creeps into his mind, begging get to overwhelm him as the kidnappers close in on him and Vikk, two of them dragging Mitch away. Preston's breathing starts to quicken, and he instinctively begins to gain heat as he watches the kidnappers rapidly closing in, and is aware of the water that is his death sentence waiting behind him. His sword begins to shake in his hands, the thought of water and how it's already nearly killed him creeping into his mind.
"Preston, calm down mate." Vikk says, wincing as the heat radiating off Preston becomes uncomfortably hot.
Preston gulps and nods shakily, sword lashing out as he strikes down a kidnapper trying to attack him. Vikk's eyes narrow, assessing the situation. They're outnumbered over ten to one, the kidnappers have sleeping darts, Mitch, Jerome, Lachlan, and Rob are knocked out and tied up in sacks, Preston's having a panic attack, if Preston calls in the river he's as good as dead, and they're surrounded from all angles. It doesn't take a genius to see that they're going to get out of this. Unless...
"Preston. Listen to me." Vikk whisper under his breath, backing up so he's side to side with Preston.
Vikk slips an enderpearl, his last one, into Preston's hand. Preston turns to him, charcoal eyes wide.
"Vikk what-"
"Throw it, throw it as far as you can, and get out of here." Vikk orders, the two inching away from the kidnappers. "I have a sneaking suspicion these people are from the Rouge kingdom. You're the only one who can challenge the ruler, so you need to get out of here."
"But-"
"Not buts. If we're all kidnapped it's over. Our entire mission, all we've accomplished. It'll all be for nothing."
Vikk stumbles, and Preston's steadies him, just then seeing the small feathered dart protruding from the side of his neck. Preston's mouth opens, like he wants to say something, but he can't find any words and closes is again.
"I'll... Be fine... Go..." Vikk mumbles, speech slowing.
Tears in his eyes, reluctant to leave his friends, Preston sets Vikk down, gripping the enderpearl tightly. One of the Rouge kingdom people shouts an alarm, but Preston's already pitched the orb as far as he can into the trees, vanishing without a trace.
The Rouge kingdom warriors watch him go, a few attempting to give chase, but most standing in silence. A female steps forward from the shadows, nudging Vikk with her foot. Satisfied he's truly out and not acting, she raises a hand and a few of her subjects come up, working quickly and quietly to tie him up. A man approaches her.
"Roxanne, Preston got away... What do we do?"
She smirks, turning away from Vikk. "Let him come. He's emotionally unstable, and we've captured all his friends. Years of abandonment and aloneness in my kingdom have forever scarred him. He's brave, and he's learned, I'll give him that... But if I put all he holds dear in danger... He'll be at my mercy."
~~~
Question of the chapter:
What now?
My answer: 🤐