As the three of them left the guard behind, they crashed through the underbrush. All around them, there were the squeals of beasts, creatures, or birds. Patch hardly made a sound when passing through the forest. SJ was airborne, zipping above him, but Zigferd, on the other hand, was like a mountain. Even saplings didn’t hamper his movement as he flattened them with his huge bear form.
Occasionally, SJ would hear the howl of a wolf in the distance, and Patch would respond as his pack directed him to where they were. It took much longer than SJ had expected to reach the wolf’s location. Breaking through the brush and SJ swerving the lower branches of the trees, they came upon a clearing with a small stream running through it. Patch came to a stop as he entered. Zigferd slammed to a halt, his paws digging deep gouges into the soft ground. SJ slowed to a hover.
In front of them, the four members of Patch’s pack stood surrounding Darren, keeping their distance from him with his drawn short sword, backed up against a tree. Alice lay on the ground by the stream, appearing motionless.
Zigferd roared, charging across the clearing at Darren, his huge maw salivating and his teeth on full display. Darren’s eyes opened in sheer terror, seeing the bear charging at him. The wolves moved out of Zigferd’s path. Darren reacted, jumping around the rear of the tree he had been against as Zigferd’s huge paw swung where he had stood moments earlier, gouging a chunk out of the tree and littering the ground with bark and splinters.
SJ had flown straight to Alice and grew at her side. Reaching down to check her pulse. Feeling a strong pulse in her wrist, she called to Zigferd. “She is alive.”
Zigferd didn’t respond, instead swinging another huge paw at the form of Darren, who was now moving from tree to tree, trying to stay out of reach of the bear’s sharp claws. The wolves all stood in the clearing, watching as Alice groaned and croaked in a dry, cracked voice.
“Stop,” Alice said.
“What?” SJ asked, not hearing her clearly.
“Stop. Darren saved me.”
SJ’s eyes opened in shock at the comment, and she immediately felt guilty. She knew Darren had left a note about Alice but hadn’t even considered it, being too worried about Alice and not even thinking about Darren’s safety with Zigferd’s wrath. She should have come alone.
“ZIGFERD, STOP,” SJ shouted.
The huge bear glanced at her briefly, letting out another roar and swiping at the tree that Darren was behind, tearing more bark from it. Zigferd stepped back from the tree, not taking his eyes off Darren, who was cowering behind it.
“Darren saved Alice,” SJ said. Once Zigferd had stopped his onslaught.
“What do you mean saved her? She wouldn’t have been missing if it wasn’t for him,” he said, in a very deep voice of the bear form he was in.
SJ was helping Alice sit up, her eyes half closed still but conscious at least. “He saved me, Zigferd. If it hadn’t been for Darren, I would likely have been a greylings meal by now.”
Zigferd turned to Alice, looking at her. “Greylings here?”
“There is a cave network a couple of kilometres from here. We had only stopped because I needed to rest. Whatever they poisoned me with still isn’t out of my system,” Alice said.
Taking another step back, Zigferd turned again and looked at Darren, still crouched but now peering from behind the tree he had been hidden behind. “Am I safe to come out now?” he asked nervously.
“Zigferd. Let him be,” Alice said more sternly.
If bears could look scolded, SJ wasn’t sure, but to her eyes, it seemed like they could. He responded by backing further away. Slowly, Darren stood and moved into the clearing, Zigferd still letting out a warning growl.
“Zigferd, I said stop,” Alice said.
“What happened?” SJ asked, looking between Darren and Alice.
Darren started to move towards Alice when, this time, the Pack reacted by growling at him, making him stop in his tracks.
“I tracked Alice’s trail after I picked it up. It led me through the forest to the mountain, where there was an entrance to a greyling cave. I entered and found Alice in a cage with a Puma and hogling. They were in the middle of getting the hogling ready to be roasted, and I didn’t want to chance to leave Alice there, so I attacked them.”
“How many?” SJ asked.
“Sixteen.”
“You killed sixteen greylings alone?” SJ asked.
“Yes. They were in a pit, and I could pick them off as they tried to reach me, clambering out. I then released Alice, but she had been poisoned, so I gave her some antidote I had, which began to bring her around. Whatever they used, though, is quite toxic, and the antidote hasn’t fully combatted it.”
Zigferd began to transform back into his human form, his presence no less threatening. Still glaring at Darren with a look of mistrust.
“Alice. What happened to you? Why were you in the forest?” Zigferd asked.
“I was heading back to town when Rex informed me of some strange activity in the forest, so I went to investigate. That is when the greylings attacked me. They shot me with a poison dart, making me fall unconscious. I have vague recollections of being carried and also dragged on their way back to their cave. When we got there, I could remember being placed in a wooden cage, and that was all until Darren awoke me. I couldn’t tell you where the network is, but I am sure Darren can.”
“I could show you, but there was nothing left alive.”
“It isn’t them being alive that’s the issue. It is because there is an unknown network that has an entrance on that side of town. In all the years we have been in Killic, no greylings have ever been reported there,” Alice said.
“It is probably because of the wyvern,” Dave said.
“Maybe the wyvern had caused them to change their usual routine?” SJ said.
“It is possible, I suppose,” Zigferd said.
Darren still held his short sword in his hand, “Put that away, please,” SJ said, nodding at Darren.
He looked down at his tight grip on the sword before slowly returning it to its sheath. “Patch. Leave him be, please,” SJ said.
Patch looked at SJ and growled at the wolves, who backed away, allowing Darren to approach.
“We need to get you back to town to see Master Rui,” Zigferd said. Walking over, he bent and scooped Alice up into his arms as if picking up no more than a piece of paper. Darren looked a little dejected by his actions but didn’t say anything.
“Thank you, Patch, and your pack for their help,” SJ said.
Patch tilted his head down in acknowledgement, the gesture not unnoticed by Alice, who smiled weakly at SJ. Alice looked terrible. Her usual glow dimmed to grey, her eyes sunken, and her lips pale.
The party began to make its way back towards the town. The wolves moved in front through the brush ahead of them as though they were forward scouts. The path that Zigferd’s bear form had made crashing through the underbrush easy to follow, and they had been travelling for a distance when one of the wolves howled. Stopping, the group waited, listening, when they heard someone shout.
“Wolves,” it cried, panic in its voice.
Not too far ahead, they heard the drawing of swords.
“I bet that’s the guard,” Zigferd said. “Hello,” he called.
“Mayor. Is that you?” a voice replied.
“Yes. It is me. We have Alice. Sheath your weapons.”
“Sir. There are wolves!?” the voice replied, alarmed.
“They are with us,” Zigferd replied as he continued forward.
Moments later, they reached the group of four guards they had left behind in town.
“Mayor. Is Alice okay?” a gnoll guard asked.
“She will be once we get back to town,” Zigferd replied.
As they neared the town again, Patch approached SJ’s side and nudged her. SJ turned to look at the huge wolf. Patch looked off back towards the forest.
“It’s fine, Patch. You go. Thank you for your help. Please let the rest of the Pack know as well,” SJ said.
Darren was the one to react this time, frowning at SJ’s interaction with Patch. “He understands you?”
“Yes. I am sure he understands common fully,” SJ replied, watching as Patch turned, leading the Pack back deeper into the forest.
“How?” Darren asked.
“I have no idea. I think it’s because of Cristy.”
“Who is Cristy?” Darren asked.
“You haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her yet. You will love her when you do, and she has a favour to ask of you.”
“Me? What would she be asking of me?” Darren said, surprised.
“You will see when you meet her, Zigferd. Can you confirm that Darren won’t be facing any problems going forward?”
Zigferd turned to look at SJ, and she watched as his face went through several emotions before he responded. Alice had fallen asleep in his arms as he carried her like a baby. At no point had he slowed or complained about carrying her in his arms. “No. There will be no repercussions.”
“Good. Glad to hear it, and Darren, you owe the mayor an apology.”
Darren flashed a glare at SJ, obviously not happy with being put on the spot by her, as she smiled sweetly at him.
“Mayor. I apologise for running off,” Darren said curtly.
“Accepted,” Zigferd replied. The pair were obviously not happy, but neither were in a position to argue.
Alice was taken to see Master Rui, and Darren stayed since he was now his apprentice. Zigferd had to get back to the barracks, as he had disappeared without telling anyone and needed to stop any alarm it may have caused. The news that Alice was back soon spread, and everyone seemed to know by the time SJ reached the cottage.
Entering the cottage, she looked at the food that she had been sitting down to eat. Not feeling it now, she left again to head to the Inn and see what she could get. It was later that evening when she returned to the cottage, having bumped into Terence and Nexis. Darren hadn’t returned, and she guessed he was staying with Alice until she was better. Floretta will be back later once the Inn closes with Terence.
SJ was making the most of some peace and quiet. She had read through her recipes for cloth items and decided it was time to start tailoring. As she laid her items out on the dining table, she decided she would need to sort out a permanent area to perform her tailoring. The extension at Farleck cottage that Terence was building would be ideal, and now that she had her portal, she could go there daily when not needed in the town.
She still had so much to do and keep on top of. She hadn’t been working long when her eyes fluttered, not realising how tired she was. Dave had been chatting to her, asking about an old TV series he had been watching recently. The mundane conversation made her feel even more relaxed. As the stresses of the past couple of days had faded, so had she. Placing the scissors down, she walked into her bedroom before collapsing on her bed.
“WAKE UP,” Dave screamed in her head.
SJ’s eyes fluttered, ‘No,’ she thought.
“NOW. YOU ARE BEING ATTACKED.”
That comment brought SJ from her slumber faster than she would ever have wished, flying upright in bed as a shadowy figure lunged towards her. She saw the glint of a blade in the moonlight coming through the window, and in a half-drunken state of sleep, she tried to focus on defending herself. Her claws appeared on her hands as she raised them, attempting to block the blade. Her movements were slow and disorientated, and she only deflected the blade slightly. Rather than the blade striking her in the centre of her chest, it plunged deeply into her upper left shoulder.
“SHROUD,” Dave screamed.
Crying in pain. SJ lashed out with her claws and triggered her shroud skill. Whoever her attacker was, they were fast and dodged the attack as she saw the blade coming for her again. Her eyes slowly adjusted to waking up, and the low light in the room gave her the green glow of night vision. Trying to block the strike again while sitting on her bed was difficult, and this time, the attacker adjusted his strike and, rather than going for her chest as they had indicated, spun the blade at the last moment and brought it down into her thigh.
Her display flashed brightly with the dramatic loss of her health. Whatever they were using or whoever they were caused considerable damage. Grunting from the second hit, she tried to push herself backwards away from the attacker. Her attacker wore a cloak and a mask concealing their face. She needed to get to her feet. She was too vulnerable on the bed, rolling sideways to try and get away from the attacks. Throwing herself down off the edge of the bed, dragging her legs behind her, she felt the blade again strike into her calf. Her health was down to 30%. Another couple of hits, and she could be dead, even with the benefits her shroud skill gave her. If she hadn’t activated it, she would have been dead already.
“Level 19,” Dave said.
SJ stumbled to her feet as her attacker began to move around the bed. She stood weakly on her injured leg, feeling the blood running down her thigh and calf. It was then that the cottage door opened, and she heard footsteps running.
“SJ. Are you alright?” Terence’s voice called.
Her attacker had been moving around the end of the bed to reach her but, on hearing the call, turned back towards the open bedroom door. As Terence’s figure appeared in the bedroom doorway, hammer in hand, the attacker ran towards it. Taking Terence by surprise and knocking him flying back into the lounge. SJ heard Floretta scream. Staggering, SJ collapsed, leaning on the side of the bed for support, slowly lowering herself. Her leg felt like jelly, and she could not support her.
“Oi,” Terence called. As she heard him charge out of the front door and down the path, she heard the front gate squeak on its hinges.
Floretta came bursting into her room. ”Are you okay?” she asked, panicking.
“Not sure,” SJ hissed through gritted teeth. She hadn’t been wearing her dress, and her armour class was nothing without it. ‘No wonder those hits did so much damage,’ she thought.
“Not just that, they were also at a much higher level. If they had got a critical strike on you, I doubt you would have survived,” Dave replied, concern in his voice.
“Who attacked you?” Floretta asked.
“I don’t know. I didn’t see their face. From what I could tell, they were wearing a cloak and mask.”
“Here, let me help,” Floretta said, walking over to her, picking her leg up and swinging it onto the bed. SJ winced but could feel the blood slowly ceasing as her active combat status dropped, feeling her dragon blood kick in, boosting her healing.
“Thanks,” SJ said, grimacing. Her legs throbbed from the two strikes, never mind her shoulder, which felt as though it was on fire. Flopping back onto her bed, she closed her eyes. She heard the front gate go and footsteps on the path.
“Terence is back,” Dave said.
“SJ. Are you okay?” Terence asked on entering the room.
“I will be,” she said, smiling at him. “Thank you both. If you hadn’t arrived when you did, I am not sure I would have survived.”
“I am just sorry we were so late back. We got tied up making some pies for tomorrow and lost track of the time,” Terence replied.
SJ couldn’t help but smile weakly at the thought of the large, burly, skeletal orc making pies in the kitchen with Floretta. “No need to apologise. You shouldn’t need to be here when I am sleeping.”
“And you shouldn’t be getting attacked in your home,” Floretta replied.
“No, and I have no idea who it was either,” SJ said.
“It has to be that kobold,” Dave said.
‘We can’t be sure,’ SJ thought.
“Who else would have it in for you?”
‘Bellakiy, perhaps.’
“Oh, Maybe, but why? You haven’t said anything to him to make him react like that.”
‘I told him I was the ambassador, and he wasn’t happy with me visiting the villages. You saw that as well as I did.’
“I think it’s time you started to get some more levelling done and experience claimed. You can’t keep fighting higher-level beings. You are going to fall foul if you do.”
‘I agree, but can I just rest and heal for now, please,’ SJ pleaded.
“I will go and inform the guard,” Floretta said. Terence, get SJ some water, and can you switch her blankets, please?”
“Of course,” Terence replied, moving around the side of the bed, leaning to pick her up.
“I am fine,” she protested as Terence scooped her into his arms, carrying her through to the lounge and placing her in one of the armchairs.
“I will be back in a few minutes,” Floretta said, walking to the door, “And lock the door behind me.”
Terence locked the door, then went and got SJ some water before busying himself in her bedroom and changing the blankets that were now covered in blood. Her wounds were healing quickly now, and the blood flow had ceased. She could feel the itchiness of the wounds as they scabbed before they closed and cleared fully. Injuries in Amathera went through such a rapid healing process that it was still strange.
Terence moved around the cottage, checking all the windows and doors to ensure they were secure. SJ couldn’t remember locking the front door and had assumed he had let himself in. She had never expected to be attacked in the town, and the thought that there was now someone willing to try and assassinate her sent a shiver down her spine. Not long later, they heard the gate go and the sound of voices coming along the path to the front door.
“Only me,” Floretta called as she unlocked the door and let herself in, followed by Gary and Greb.
