Otis had the caravan set to leave on the morning of the second day.
Wess, Otis, Kayla, and Anyu all purchased saddles at Hawk's Leatherworks in town. They were nothing like the saddles from Darnell's Custom Saddles back home in Corfé, but it surely beat riding on a blanket. Haygen merely had minor repairs made to Slasher's front and flank cinch. They said their farewells to Tuppence and she made sure their packs were again filled with food for the road.
Clay Niven bought a four-horse supply wagon and loaded it with simple provisions for the Druids and the battle effort. Clay, the companions, and one hundred and twelve mercenaries departed Port Bariss just before daybreak.
Rumblings and dark clouds in the sky foretold of a storm ahead. The harsh wind out of the east blew in their faces and it was only as the caravan set off for Green Haven did the rain begin to spot the companions' garments.
Soon the yew and poplar trees swayed and bent as the sky grew darker.
Otis said, "Clay, perhaps your counterpart and two of my trusted could ride point?"
The Ranger agreed. "A wise idea, Otis. Being we are all mounted, do you think it wise if the wagon rode up front."
"We're only as fast as our slowest man," Otis said. "I concur."
Clay said, "This rain's going to be a problem." It was picking up and getting more difficult to hear anything besides the falling of the drops. They couldn't hear those slight brushes of branches, nor the falling of footsteps. They could only hear the brewing of the storm.
Otis and Clay shared their concerns with the trio and to counter the noise, they rode up ahead and halted their Kudakis to use their eyes knowing that they could not lie even in this weather.
Wess looked through the bedding of green ferns as they would be perfect hiding places. He tried on his glasses, but it was far too bright for their magical enhancement.
Thunder rolled in the distance.
Wess sought the tallest tree he could, then leaped up from the back of Dawn and began his climb to the top. The branches of the poplar was wet, but the Faeling's climbing skills were improved from his time on the Shady Lady. And here he was again, up in the crows nest seeking danger. But although he was high up, swaying back and forth, the green canopy of the Anorach forest was all he could see. "Blast it," he said. From the east, dark clouds were on fast approach carrying with it lightning and slanted rain.
As nimbly as he could, he began his descent remembering to keep two points of contact on the branches. Once low enough, he settled back into his saddle. "Storm's on its way," Wess told Haygen, "less than an hour. Couldn't see anything else though."
"The Kudaki are restless," said Anyu trying to settle Rainseeker. "It's probably the storm." She slid her bow from her shoulder and brought arrow to string. Haygen followed suit with Icefang and Wess drew one of his small crossbows.
They pressed on and the caravan finally met with storm head on. Rain hammered down and the road turned to pools of muddy water. The point men narrowed their gap with the caravan and they plodded forward.
When the attack came it was silent and bloody.
Black arrows and darkened crossbow bolts struck the mercenary caravan from both sides of the road. Without warning and without mercy, in the midst of the storm they were delivered as if from the clouds above like small bolts of angry lightning. This was followed by a harrowing wail. A cry many of the mercenaries, and Haygen, knew all too well. The war cry Orc raiders.
They attacked in one wave, but it had three layers. Goblins with their own shrill screams, and bugged eyes came first with their darkened spears. Then, Orcs came with their dark green skin camouflaged with mud and leaves swinging curved swords and axes. Finally, yellow Trolls donned in cloaks of black lumbered in with their spiked clubs and stone hatchets.
At the start, Otis brought up his shield to block an incoming arrow, thinking at first it was a swooping raven. "Ambush!" he cried. He hefted up his runed hammer and readied his shield. "They come! Stay vigilant!" He blocked the first spear thrust, but the one from the south caught Thûndar in the flank and the Kudaki wailed in pain. Otis slid down from him before he fell, bringing his hammer down on the head of the Goblin on his left. He worked his way north trying hard to get off the trail, which he knew his friends would do if they could to get off the ambush site.
The first Goblin that Wess saw met with a poisoned bolt. He holsted the crossbow, drew the other, then shot another Goblin in the belly. Ravenwing flashed from its sheath along with a second dagger and Wes's dropped down from Dawn into the battle. He parried a spear thrust with the flat of his daggers, then came in with the blade to the Gobin's neck. Spinning, he sliced two more with Ravenwing drawing green blood and screams of pain.
Haygen, not trusting his brat of a Kudaki, stood up on Slasher and leaped far and high, bringing his magical ax down onto the head of a surprised Orc who watched in awe as the blade cut him down. The splitting of the Orc drew disgust and anger from the nearby Orcs and Trolls as icy dark blood mixed with the rain. The Barbarian let out his own scream finding his primal rage quickly. He was soaked to the bone, cold, and surrounded by Orcs and Trolls—there was no place he would rather be. He started with a spinning full-circle strike, hewing down his enemy like a mechanical device of war. Heads, arms, and legs flew. His magical ax left icy marks of death. Even the taller, lankier Trolls jumped back at the might of the Half-man. They struck down at him with arcs like big windmills. An arrow flew past Haygen's face and sunk into an attacking Orc. But the fletching was yellow, one of Anyu's.
The Ranger let loose of arrow after arrow atop her mighty red lizard mount. She sang a triumphant song that could barely be heard, but it was plenty loud enough for Rainseeker giving him courage in the frey and the lightning that struck from above. The Kudaki kept the smaller Goblins at bay with his claws as the Ranger fired her longbow from her moving perch. Only once did she have to block the ax of an Orc and that was quickly followed up by a tail whip from Rainseeker, knocking the enemy to the ground.
Kayla calmly cast her first spell. "Prasidius." Her magical shielding formed around her. She took in the ambush and her eyes went immediately to Otis, who was a shining beacon of hope in a mass of black violence. Her hands full of charcoal, she shouted, "Arsonas lampyrii!"
The tiny bugs of flames whirled in the air and one of them each found a Goblin, giving Otis some breathing room. Next, though, she felt a firm hand grab hold of her robes. When she hit the muddy ground, the force knocked the wind from her. She tried to inhale, but her lungs wouldn't listen. She struggled to speak. A small figure straddled her. She reared back at its disgusting face with its long, crooked nose and jagged yellow teeth. She knew it was a Hobgoblin, but her eyes flashed to the long, thin daggers it held in each of its hands. She tried to draw her Kowluun blade but the Hobgoblin slashed at her moving hand, drawing blood. Kayla merely inhaled. Her breath returning though. She tried to buck the evil thing off of her, but it was far too crafty. It brought one thin blade to Kayla's throat, pinning her down, then lifted the other high into the air for the killing blow. Kayla thrust her bloody hand forward. "Arsonas!"
Flames shot forth and struck the Hobgoblin square in the chest, freeing herself. The foul thing screamed and scrambled to its feet and tore free a dripping wet sack that saved its life. The Hobgoblin shouted a curse and tumbled in for another attack. Kayla side-stepped and brought forth her staff from the secret pocket of her robes. As the thing drove in with its daggers though, a familiar figure appeared before her, locking daggers with the Hobgoblin hilt-to-hilt.
"I've got this one!" shouted Wess.
Wess and Drekha began their deadly dance. Daggers arced in all angles. They cut low and high, back and forth, neither connecting with their opponent. When they did, it was so slight that the armor they wore made them glancing blows.
"I see you coat your blades in the poison of the Viper," said Drekha in the tongue of the west. His accent thick and slow. "Simple...effective."
Wess replied, "I see you coat yours with...gods what is that smell?"
"Fresh feces from a Troll," said Drekha blocking Wess' vertical head strick, "makes one sick for many days."
"Troll dookie? Well, that's just gross," said Wess.
They took their fight to the cover of trees and moved among the ferns in practiced artistry. Wess could not believe that this Hobgoblin had the skill he did, but the Faeling was just warming up.
Otis was using the trees as well, running as he went, taking the knees of Trolls out, then caving in their long, drawn faces when they fell. He shouted Panadahe's name drawing the enemy towards him. He made his way to Clay Niven, whose deer antlers were now long and flowing up into the air. He stood upon the horse cart firing his ebony longbow. He shouted to the mercenaries whenever they started to flee in hopes they would stay and fight.
"We fight two to one, Ranger!" shouted Otis. "But we are evening the odds!"
"Some of our hired help is fleeing, Guardian!" shouted Clay. With his quiver finally empty, he drew his shining blade from its scabbard and struck down an attacking Orc.
Otis hopped up onto the wagon, and with the higher ground began whomping all heads that approached. "Kayla!" He shouted for the Wizard, but she held her aim on Wesley's attacker.
Kayla tried to follow Wess into the woods to help him, but lost the two fighters. Then, she saw them. Two shadows floating in the trees. She pointed her fingers at the Hobgoblin and cast her incantation being careful not to hit her friend. "Astreya!" Beams of light shot forth from her hand and struck the Hobgoblin in the side. Wess looked back and forth, but could not find his enemy who disappeared into the depths of the Anorach. Only a green blood trail remained.
"Kayla!" Otis shouted again trying to get his voice above the rain and steel and sounds of the dying.
The Wizard came running and leaped atop the wagon joining Clay Niven and Otis. The Dwarf pointed to a dark line of the enemy attacking the mercenaries. They struggled not only with the sheer numbers, but the anger and darkness that was overcoming them. The only thing keeping them equal was being on horseback. Kayla, ground fresh charcoal into her damp palms and threw forth a flaming ball of red fire. "Arsonas Rundalla!" The screams of Trolls and Orcs burning filled the air and the mercenaries cheered. She launched another sphere on the opposite side of the trail and fire streaked right over the top of their heads singing the hair of many. The explosion killed many Trolls and left several burning.
Haygen was covered in the dark blood and bile of the dead. Anyu drew her magical longsword and together they slayed. They cleared the enemy east of the Wagon and, with Wess now, formed an echelon trying to drive the forces of darkness to one side of the wagon. Otis and Clay leaped from the wagon and joined in the formation with Haygen at the lead.
A Troll alpha burst through the battlefield to get to Haygen. It swung back its massive club to strike at him, but the Half-orc slid low and cut at both of the Troll's legs. Still atop her Kudaki, Anyu cut at the Troll's throat, bringing it to its knees letting Haygen finish him off with a series of woodcutter chops.
Before two Orcs could attack Rainseeker from behind, Kayla withdrew a small bit of string from her pouch. She lifted her hands and calmly cast spell. "Arsonas Bit-Yakanis." As she lashed out with her hands, thin flaming strands launched forward as whips and wrapped around the heads of the Orcs. With a sharp yank, the heads of the Orcs were seared from their heads. Their bodies collapsed to the ground like a pair of headless dolls. She brought the whips back, and lashed out again at more and more of the enemy until the spell fizzled. Bright lights flashed in her vision and it was difficult for her to stand. She brought her staff forward and the red crystal headpiece burst into flame like a torch for her defense if needed.
"All Form up!" It was the Guardian General bringing order to chaos like a torch in a dank dungeon. "Form up! With me! With me! Onward! Pandadahe is with us!"
Clay sang the first line of 'Rojar's Last Ride' and Anyu joined in. Their voices harmonized beautifully with Anyu's higher pitch and Clay's deep baritone notes. The chilling song snapped the horses out of any panic that held them, finding their primal defenses hidden deep within their soul.
The echelon drove forward with mercenaries joining in the line. The wind and rain was at their backs and in the face of the enemy. Men with great Two-hander swords, Dwarves with mighty axes, Elves with sweeping blades and longbows, and Faefolk with shortbows and flying daggers all drove back the ambush. The small group of Mindful, not realizing it, came together as one people, just like the great war long past.
The ambush was crushed and scattered to the trees. Many were anxious for the chase, but Otis called after them.
"Let 'em go, lads!" shouted the Dwarf. "We've scared them off. Let us regroup, and carry on before they do." He turned to Clay Niven who was much taller and majestic with his antlers. Otis was still in awe over the Rangers' songs and the effect it had on the battlefield. "The enemy is on to us. If we march through the night, will we reach Green Haven by tomorrow?"
"By the morn," said Niven with a slight nod of obedience. He in turn smiled in wonder before the Guardian of Panadahe. "We can place our dead on their horses and the wagon if need. I'll not leave their bodies for the wolves."
"We should see to the wounded best we are able," said Otis wishing he had his healing powers. "My beast is wounded, so I will ride with you in the wagon."
"Let us walk the horses at night, Otees," Anyu stated. She was pulling arrows free from the dead for later use.
"Very well," said Otis. "We do not rest until we reach the Druids. Keep those Orcs off our backs."
"Twenty seven dead," said Clay Niven. He turned to his Ranger counterpart. "We could use more fighters."
Anyu paused and lowered her head. There was a slight shake of her head as she argued with herself. "I shall go to my people then. The Tushkar. See if they can send aid." She looked to Haygen, hoping he didn't hear but it was too late. However, the Barbarian said nothing. He just walked away still coming down from his war anger.
"We should send someone with you," said Otis realizing the situation and did not want to see the Ranger setting off on her own. "Perhaps Haygen, or Wesley—"
"No," said Anyu. "Rangers work alone, Otees," she said looking to her elder, Clay. "I will be much faster."
Anyu walked over the dead to Haygen. The Half-orc was pacing and spinning his ax as he attempted to calm himself. She did not want to make a scene in front of the other warriors, so her words were short, but kind. She laid her hand Haygen's shoulder and he stopped moving and looked down to her with a tight smile. "I must go," she said.
Haygen nodded. "I heard."
"You must get to your mother." Her hand slid down to his.
Haygen smiled with his eyes. He took in deep breaths. The rain was letting up now and he let it clean him as nature intended. "Yes."
"I...did not know this would happen," she said. She embraced him attracting onlookers but she did not care anymore. Her head nestled under his chin. His body warmed her as he wrapped his arms about her. His large hand smoothed her wet auburn hair.
Haygen released her with a smile. He knew she meant more than just her having to leave. "Go now. Stay alert. We will meet again in Green Haven."
Anyu nodded and the rain hid her tears. Gods, she had not cried since her brother died. She turned from him, not wanting him to see her weakness.
He turned as well and went about lifting dead mercenaries onto the back of horses.
"Don't worry, Anyu," shouted Wess who witnessed the whole account from nearly five feet away. "I've been looking after this lug for years."
That twisted a smile to their faces.
"It's a full-time job really," continued the Faeling. He gave Haygen a pat on the leg. "I mean what would you do without me?"
A/N - Thanks for reading everyone! Hope you enjoyed the action scene. It's been a while! Smash that star if you enjoyed!