The Guardians of Celesk

Chapter 17: Fortune Favours the Strategist

Joran was petrified. He was crouching in the intersecting bough of a tree, observing the convoy of trajucts, horse drawn carriages, filled to the brim with stock. Each had a small vertical slit either side to allow any guards within to fire arrows and observe without exposing them too much in the way of enemy fire. He nervously clutched his staff, but it was held reassuringly by an adult, a fellow amateur warrior. "Remember what Lady Skyene said, we are here only to observe. Relax, our instructors will do all the work... I mean, if they're any good they will."

He breathed a little easier. But even though Skyene was nearby in the treetops, he saw the reality of what was heading their way. The thing thundered on, making a horrendous noise as it travelled along the Northern Road. It started to make a whining noise and the large wooden wheels shook as it encroached a large fallen tree. It came to an abrupt halt as Jara, Lucern and Halthar greeted them. All of them were clad in heavily camouflaged cloaks and hoods, with small thicket pieces and grass strands extending from their hoods to shadow their faces further.

The driver and his guard at the front shifted towards their sides, prying out their blades in response. The guards at the back were desperately trying to see the commotion. It was clear they had not expected any resistance from this region of Celesk and were hopelessly outmanned. As the driver continued to fumble for his blade, Lucern fired a bolt a mere inch from his hand, which withdrew rapidly.

Lucern couldn't help but make his presence further known with an uncharacteristically booming stage voice, "Hands in the air! Or you'll lose them!"

Lucern made a gesture to the trees. A volley was fired in front of the train, with the second wave of arrows plummeting in a line at the back.

"Folks, there is no need for bloodshed. Now drop your weapons and lay flat on the ground!"

The guards quickly scrambled in front of them, throwing out their bows and swords before dropping to the ground.

"Your lives I'm sure are worth more than this cargo you're carting. There is no need to be a saviour for Valezk. I'm sure there's other villages he could plunder for the cost of this."

Jara gestured for more of the villagers. Most of them dropped down out of the trees and quickly drew out their weapons, aiming them down at the guards. Skyene signalled for a few of the woodsmen to clear out the front trajucts.

They didn't hear a trapdoor open in the floor of the fourth vehicle. The group of guards quietly crept underneath and crawled further into the middle of the convoy, except one: who scurried backwards toward the last carriage.

As more villagers started unloading the goods, Halthar and Matteo moved towards the back of the convoy, with Matteo aiming his weapon at the guards lying down on the floor. He watched as one craned his neck sideways. "Easy, no need to be a saviour. Keep your eyes to the grass."

Joran breathed more easily. He watched the whole process like he was ordered to. Things seemed to be settled without any force necessary, and he could see the top of Halthar's head on the far side as he peered at the back of the convoy. He suddenly detected a short, erratic movement at the underside of the last carriage. A small wooden door spilled out a group of dark beasts onto the underside that ignored their emancipator and started sniffing for villagers. After a moment of panic, he yelled out, "Look out! Everyone, look out! Beasts!" just as the group of beasts emerged from the underbelly of the convoy and sprinted towards the next person. Before he could turn around in time, Halthar had one biting his leg. In a reflexive move, he swiped down and cut the beast away from him. Other beasts flew at Jara and Matteo, but both were quick to swat them down.

The guards saw this commotion, and in a flurry, they jumped to their feet and brandished their weapons. Matteo turned around only to be struck with an arrow which embedded deep in his shoulder. He faltered to one side and dropped his weapon. A guard charged at him with a sword raised high above his head, letting his momentum bring it forward to plunge it into Matteo's flesh. Halthar grabbed the hilt with two arms and stopped the sword from dealing the killing blow. With his remaining two arms he clapped the guard on both sides of the head, knocking him unconscious.

Other guards scrambled to fight back. Lucern fired his crossbow at another guard, but as he went to reload the crossbow a beast leapt at him, knocking him off his feet. The creature leapt straight onto his chest, with snarling jaws and teeth covered in saliva trying to attack his face. Lucern brought the crossbow up in time just for it to sink its teeth into. He was struggling to counter the vicious repeated snaps of the mouth. He was also quickly losing strength as the creature used its front paws to shove the weapon into his throat, cutting off his air supply. As his vision started to blur, he saw an object in the corner of his eye strike the beast on the top of its head. When his vision regained, he could see Joran standing over him, still shaking from the ordeal. "Thanks, little man. You saved my life, well at least my handsome face."

Joran smiled, though it was more out of relief. Lucern added, "Great job."

The rest of the group sprang into action and finished off the rest of the guards, who stubbornly refused to surrender a second time. Skyene cursed this situation "You ignorant Istentels. You're all dead now and for what? Absolutely nothing."

Lucern tried to comfort her in his rasping voice, "It was them or us. They gave us no choice."

"There are other lives than these, but that doesn't mean we spend them so cheaply."

"Spare me the philosophy. We're all upright, aren't we?"

He looked down at Matteo, who was hunched over holding his arrow wound and animal bites. "Well...most of us anyway."

Jara surveyed the field. They had gathered numerous supplies, and luckily had few casualties. She tried to be pleased but was still annoyed at the surprise attack. As if sensing her annoyance, Skyene placed a hand on her shoulder. She said reassuringly, "You can't plan for everything. All we can do is react, and we did our best. That is the way of things."

She spied Matteo and Halthar having their wounds bandaged up. As Halthar remarked to Lucern, he replied very loudly: "Yes of course you did well. Yes, they will appreciate it. Oh, I have no doubt there will be some grateful people there."

Heraken climbed up the front carriage and assigned a few of his more capable trainees as guards. Once he had a firm grasp of the reins, he quickly checked that all his new guards were in place behind him. All it took was a few obligatory clicks of his tongue and the horses petered off in a fine trot.

Valezk peered over the burnt remains of the front desk. He was clutching the throat of one of his lead Kambri- a humanoid warrior as the man struggled to breathe. "Slaker said no more Macrimancers which is fair. But it doesn't mean I can't kill one of you Strikken kuars. I specifically said to leave the library undamaged and now take a look at this-," he turned the Kambri over so his nose was planted on the scorched desk, with a few various instructions on peering from next to the piles of ash. "This area here is their whole classification system and most of it has been either burnt or broken into dust. Now how in the bowels of Huraka am I expected to find this book?" Before the man could answer, he broke his neck. The nearest Macrimancer tentatively interrupted, but far too late, hoping Valezk had gained some relief from this 'exchange'

"I'm sure with the group here we could find what you're looking for... What are we looking for, exactly?"

"It's a chronicle that will lead me to the orb. In fact, it may not have any letters on it but rather a symbol."

The Macrimancer simply nodded.

"Now get out of way."

Valezk shoved him aside and started his desperate search.