Chereads / The Kingdom of Zaniah / Chapter 9 - Unexpected Strangers

Chapter 9 - Unexpected Strangers

"Jex!" Ray called. "He can hear me," she thought to herself. She paced about the campsite making mind of the fire burning on the ground causing small billows of smoke to drift in the air.

Nimer walked the perimeter of the trees, his cutlass drawn in each hand. "He could not have gone far," he stated. The feeling of watchful eyes kept him at the campsite. Out in the woods, it was often that they were not alone. With Jex gone as long as he had been, something could be terribly wrong.

Heavy hooves from the horses thudded the ground nervously. The horses' ears rotated trying to locate sounds from the surrounding. Loud caws from a raven a ways out sounded like a bell alarm one would hear in a village that would warn villagers of an oncoming volley. The large black bird could be seen fleeing from the trees moments afterwards.

Ray started to take off into the thick wood when Nimer held up a sword blocking her path. "No…" he paused. "Go douse the fire and we shall search the wood together. Going alone is dangerous. We should not leave a trace that we are here. That fire is a dead give away."

"You douse the fire then," Ray said and pushed Nimer's sword out of the way, parading into the woods and began to call again. "Jex! Are you out there?"

Nimer made haste to the fire, mumbling curses under his breath. His hands dove into the soft dirt about the campsite and he piled in a mound over the fire pit, dousing the fire instantly. Brushing his hands off and letting the dirt fall to the ground, he bounded across the campsite toward the tree line after Ray.

"Jex!" Ray called again only to have her mouth covered by Nimer's hand.

"I believe you do not understand the dire situation. There may be something-someone-out there. You calling loudly will give us away," the guide spat harshly. "Cease and desist, I beg you."

Ray pushed his hand away, "Fine."

A twig, fifty feet away, snapped and both became instantly on edge and scrambled for cover behind an evergreen. Nimer leaned out surveying the area. From what he could see there was nothing. Ray with a hand on her bow leaned out and got near the ground, her eyes wide and alert.

"Let's keep moving," Nimer whispered and walked out from behind the tree. He drew both swords as he pursued forward stepping lightly across the dirt and twigs on the ground. The trees around them were still - too still - in the cold air. In the waning light of the late afternoon, the air was becoming increasingly brisk. If they lost light, it would not end well for them.

"Breathe slowly," he warned. "Large clouds of breath may be a dead give away. Stay near the trees."

"I think you talking is a dead give away," Ray stated quietly.

Another loud crack resounded through the area, Nimer catching sight of something black moving not more than two hundred feet away and disappearing behind a tree. His hands gripped tighter around the worn leather handles of his swords. 

"Get back!" he hissed as the two ran for cover. Before Ray could say a word, Nimer nodded toward the group of trees a ways out. "Over there," he whispered.

Ray leaned out, scouting the trees for movement. Her green-blue orbs widened when a tall, black hooded figure leaned out from behind the tree, dagger in hand. A black scarf concealed the figure's mouth and only their dark eyes bore straight through her. Ray fumbled around before grabbing an arrow from her quiver, lightly stroking the hawk feathers at its top.

"We have to do something!" she said in a harsh whisper.

Nimer stroked his beard, "Perhaps, try and hit him, but stay concealed."

Nimer moved out of the way as Ray readied her bow, her hands shaking. It was the first time she had fired an arrow at another living being. The strain on the bow caused the wood to creak in the bitter cold. She pulled back, aiming through the limbs of the evergreen. Drawing a deep breath, she moved the tip towards the bandit, and released. The arrow whizzed through the air, just missing the hooded figure and sticking into the tree next to him. The bandit was on edge, turning his head back and forth before his eyes settled on the evergreen. 

"I think he saw us," Ray stuttered.

As the bandit snuck forward, taking cover behind trees along the way, Nimer nodded in agreement. "Run…" he said, then began to push Ray. Nimer's eyes shot wide as a glowing purple light consolidated in the palm of the bandit's hand. "RUN!" he yelled louder.

The two ran, dodging rocks and trees as they went. 

"Where are we running to?!" Ray yelled to him.

"Anywhere but camp. We can't risk supplies if we get out of this alive!" Nimer yelled back. The guide gracefully dodged a rock with a quick leap into the air. He glanced behind them, heavy breaths tumbling from his mouth. The bandit was nowhere to be found. "We've lost him. Keep running!" he commanded. 

Ray did as she was told till she realized something suspicious. "Wait a second, why are we running? Can't the gods help you like they did last time?" Ray called to him.

"There's no time for that now! The gods won't hear us out here," Nimer growled.

"So, they answered for a pack of lycans but not with one measly bandit, is that it?" Ray stated and she slowed to a stop. 

Nimer slowed down, his boots digging into the dirt. He glared at her. "Now is not the time to be suspicious! Where there is one bandit, there is bound to be more. And if it did not occur to you, he was wielding magic!"

"Magic? What kind of magic?" Ray insisted. She was insistent on getting answers from him.

Nimer growled, running a hand over his face, "Dark energy of some sort. The glow was the color of amethyst. It can't be anything else!"

"So you do know about magic and it exists," Ray said, crossing her arms.

"We don't have time for this!" Nimer groaned.

Only feet away the sound of running footsteps tore through the underbrush. A bright violet light struck a tree not feet from Ray setting it ablaze with purple flame. She let out a shrill yelp and jumped at Nimer in fright. Nimer moved back instantly, grabbing hold of Ray's hand and pulled her into another long sprint. 

"As I was saying! We don't have time for this!" Nimer yelled to her.

Ray yanked her hand away from Nimer's strong hold. "Fine! What is your plan?"

Nimer glanced about in a frantic manner. "There is bound to be more of them," he thought. Trees sped by as Nimer led them both to the left. "I have a plan. Just keep-"

His words were cut short. An arrow engulfed by lightning shot through the air, headed straight for Ray. Nimer's knees twisted as his body turned fully around. The guide hurdled himself at the girl pushing her far out of the way as the arrow struck him squarely in the right shoulder. Nimer let out a loud, piercing yell as his body convulsed. Discharge spewed from his mouth as he tightly clutched his arm.

"Run… Get… get out of here, now!... RUN!" Nimer struggled to talk as he yelled at Ray.

Ray's expression was horrified, her hands over her mouth as she scrambled to her feet. Her moccasins dug into the dirt and she managed to stand quickly and start running. Her heart thundered in her chest a panic drove her mad through the forest. Mouth running dry, she almost felt the need to cry. She nearly tripped on a root. Her hands flailed trying to keep her balance. She dared not look back for 'run' was all she needed this time not to stop.

The depleting light of the nearing evening made it difficult to navigate terrain as she weaved through the forest. Heavy breaths spilled from her mouth and nostrils. Her wide green-blue eyes were wet with tears as she reached a large evergreen, placing her hands upon its jagged surface. Her rose kissed cheeks were moistened by streams of tears as she pressed against the trunk of the tree.

"I-I just wanted to go home…" she muttered. 

The crack of a twig caused her to whirl around as fear strangled her insides. She almost called out into the dim light of the forest hoping it was Nimer behind her. She had no idea where she was going or her location and for once, a guide would have been nice. 

Shuffling around the tree she glanced around trying to find the source of sound. She swallowed the bit of spit in her mouth as she peered around the tree. Fifty feet out, Ray could see another figure emerging from the brush, dagger in one hand and a rag in the other. Their hood was over their head and they appeared just like the other bandits that she had seen.

Ray sheltered herself behind the tree once more, covering her mouth, the need to scream breaching her lips. Biting them together, she moved across the ground with slow, attentive movements. She watched the ground, being mindful of her steps and took cover behind bushes and other trees. She glanced towards the sky as light faded behind the mountains, a weiery look strone across her face. Cloud cover left no light for her to see with. Ray lowered to her hands and knees. She crawled under a bush to hide. Its branches scratched against her skin and caught the edges of her clothes and she flinched in discomfort. Bringing her legs to her chest, she buried her face in the fabric of her pants, clawing into them with her fingernails.

"We never should have come out here," she thought as she sobbed lightly. "Why didn't Jex listen to me? Why couldn't he just appreciate our life at home-"

The chill of the night and the ever nearing footsteps caused her to silence and she was as quiet as a mouse despite mucus and tears soiling her trousers. She lifted her head only to peek behind her for oncoming danger. In the dim light the silhouette of the bandit creeping low to the ground was all she could make out not sixty feet away. Ray's mind was distracted by the beats of her heart thundering in her chest. She took a deep breath and uncurled. 

She fiddled with her bow trying to get it uncaught while crawling across the ground. Ray rose to her feet, tip-toeing behind a large oak. Looking up to the lowest hanging branch, she tested its sturdiness with hard pulls using her own weight. It ruled out in the girl's favor and she began to climb the tree. 

Her moccasins scraped against the bark, trying to get a good grip on the trunk. She scrambled into the tree, clearing the first bare branches with minimal effort. With the last of the light, she found a perch twenty feet from the ground in a knick between two vertical branches. She slid her custom bow off her shoulders, hands shaking in fear and from the bitter cold. With two fingers, she reached around behind her, stroking the hawk feathers of her arrow as she drew it from the quiver and knocked it, drawing back. She squinted trying to find the shape of the prowling bandit in the minimal light. She was silent and on high alert. She pressed lightly against the tree. 

"Maybe they can't see me," she thought. "It is night after all." She sounded hopeful despite her growing anxiety.

The sound of movement caused her to be on edge once again. Ray tried to breathe through her nose to minimize sound. She searched the darkness, the silhouette from earlier being swallowed by the shadows of the night. All she could do was wait for him to pass. 

"Oh gods," she whispered. "Where are you now?"

Nimer struggled where he was left. Walking had become an increasing effort having been struck by the magic arrow. His shoulder was burning, and he clutched it tighter, trying to dull the pain. He lowered to the ground, searching the tree line for movement. Pain welled in his chest as his body felt weak and he could feel his heart palpitating while it raced. 

Grasping one of his swords, he slowly rose to his feet, wavering in his spot. His ears rang and his body tingled. He only had a moment to steady himself before dark streaks of lightning struck a tree near him, violet flame smothering it. Nimer quickly broke off the arrow in his arm and tossed the feathered half towards the ground. He threw all his energy into sprinting away from the oncoming danger. 

He glanced above at the fading light, his vision blurring, then behind him at the bandit nearing him on foot. He wasn't fast enough in his injured state. He'd have to fight.

With a brilliant slow and blur of the world, Nimer leapt from the ground as his boots carried him upside the trunk of a tree, his body flipping backwards through thin air. The bandit ran under him while suspended and Nimer landed behind him trying to keep his footing. He thrust forward with his swords. The runes engraved in the blades glowed a bright, brilliant blue. Nimer's eyes were wild and illuminated the same color, appearing as blue glowing orbs in the darkness. He slashed at the bandit, carving into his back. Specks of blood flew to the ground, soiling the dirt like splattered paint. 

The bandit turned, his dark eyes now lit with purple irises. Dark lightning engulfed his dagger. He swiped at Nimer, the guide just dodging before lightning struck where his feet had been. Nimer spun fiercely. He attempted to slash the man only to meet metal to metal with the sharp edge of the bandit's dagger. The magic sporadically festered, traveling up Nimer's blade and into his arm. Nimer let out another exasperated cry as he fell to his knees, tremors flooding his body.

"Not a surprise you conduct my magic," the bandit stated and walked up to Nimer, pulling his handkerchief from his mouth and knelt beside the guide. He grabbed Nimer by the neck and he pulled him up with a strong hand beneath Nimer's jaw. Nimer struggled to breathe and could barely claw his hand away. 

The bandit tilted his head to the side and his purple orbs bore into Nimer's soul. "Where is the girl?"

"Like hell… if I… know…" Nimer struggled to talk through clenched teeth. The man let magic flow from his hand, the purple strands of magic smothering Nimer's body and scorching his neck. Nimer cried and panted, white dots flooding his vision. He could barely whisper. "What… do you…want….with her…?" 

"Don't ask me questions you already know the answer to," the man said. "She possesses a piece of the key. Ravathor requests we retrieve it." 

"You...must be mistaken…" Nimer grimaced.

"I believe that to be false," the man said, pulling back his hood. It fell to his shoulders revealing long dark brown hair pulled out of his face matching his angled features. His ears were long and slender like those of an elf.

Nimer struggled, clawing away at the elf's hand with his own despite their shaking. "Don't…tell me….Ravathor has awakened…Your cult…wouldn't be here if…if he wasn't…"

The elven man's hand squeezed Nimer's neck tighter, the guide gasping for breath. The elf pushed him to the ground. "I'd be lying if I said yes. He has found his host in a young Darkwell heir. It is only a matter of time before he awakens."

The man released another large shock through Nimer's body. The guide's hands slipped from the handles of his swords and they clinked to the ground. The tremors caused Nimer's body to shake violently. He swallowed the last bits of air before his vision coated over with white. With the last of his consciousness, Nimer could hear the last of the man's words being whispered into his ear.

"It's good to see you on the road again, Nimer."

White turned to black and the elven man stood and picked up both of Nimer's swords, tying them to his belt as he left the guide laying lifeless in the dirt.