The forest grew dark quickly as the sun sank below the horizon. A slender man sporting a heavy beard came to a stop and observed his surroundings. He was tired. Very tired. The large, two handed sword that was slung across his back felt heavier than it usually did. Despite his weariness, a fire burned in his heart.
“Master, we should make camp for the night,” a deep voice rumbled. His name was Viglan, and he was first amongst Glonn’s servants.
Glonn nodded absently and looked up at the moon through the trees. The forest was still alive here. He could feel the sword demanding to be fed but he resisted. He needed these woods. At least he would at first. First Dinburn, then the Empire… They would all pay.
“Should we set up a perimeter?”
Glonn took a deep breath and looked up at his lieutenant. Now that the sword had drunk more power, he had been able to bestow upon them imposing new forms. His five guards stood eight feet tall and were powerfully built. Leathery wings sprouted from their backs and their bulging muscles were covered in bristly black fur. Their faces had become fang filled snouts. They like him had all suffered great grievances at the hands of the Empire and would become the lieutenants of his new kingdom. Idly, he wondered if his form would change once he was able to empower the sword.
“Stay close,” he said. “Be prepared. I can sense something approach.”
The figures bowed to him before melting into the darkness, leaving Glonn alone with his thoughts. He sat with his back against a tree and looked up at the sky.
“I must feed!” the sword hissed urgently.
“You will, soon,” Glonn soothed. “Then, we will show the faithful how little their Gods care for them.”
He found it curious that he wasn’t hungry despite having not eaten since they had broken through into the tomb. The moment he saw the sword, buried almost to the hilt in the decrepit elf’s chest, Glonn knew that his prayers had been answered.
However, everything that happened before that seemed obscured by fog in his mind. All he felt was fury and a thirst for revenge. Against whom, he could no longer remember, nor could he recall his name, though it no longer seemed important. All he knew was that he was angry with the world and that he had to empower the sword so that he could unleash his vengeance. The ground rumbled beneath him, and he was on his feet in an instant.
“Report,” he called out into the darkness.
“Two large creatures approach,” Viglan warned.
Glonn drew his sword and peered into the darkness. A pair of bipedal creatures that stood almost as trees lumbered towards them. They were made of stone. A grim smile crept across his face. The sword’s aura repelled the lesser creatures that stalked these woods. However, it also attracted more powerful ones.
“Stone giants,” he remarked as his minions gathered close.
“They’ve come a long way,” Viglan remarked. Stone giants were native to the higher parts of the Sawtooth Mountains. “I’d have thought they’d have their hands full with the greenskin invasion up there.”
“I suppose they feel that we are the bigger threat,” Glonn said as his grin grew wider. “Astute of them.”
“How can you be sure they haven’t come to pledge themselves to you?” Viglan ventured with a sardonic grin.
“Somehow, I don’t think so,” Glonn remarked.
Glonn felt the sword tremble with anticipation as the creatures lumbered closer. He thought briefly about the greenskins that had invaded the mountains. Perhaps the sword would enable him to lead them. That was something worth considering once Dinburn was secure.
“Here they come,” Viglan warned.
The woman’s house was warm and its furnishings spartan. Her name was Idriene and her son, Partik cowered behind the bedroom door, watching the two intruders warily.
“He’ll warm up to you,” Idriene smiled. “Just give him some time.”
Rhania glanced at him before turning her gaze back to the fire. She was seated on the floor with her sword and bow laid out in front of her, close at hand. Ricar, meanwhile, stood by the door with his arms folded across his chest.
“I’m afraid I don’t have any food to offer you,” Idriene continued as she hung a kettle over the fire. “Only some herb tea. Every able body was ordered to find the font. That left little time for hunting and foraging.”
Ricar sighed impatiently. “I haven’t seen any sign of so much as an insect over the last two days. You should be safe for the night. Why don’t you tell us where this font is and save some time?”
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Idriene smiled wearily. “You know, I’m taking a huge risk letting you spend the night here.”
“It stands to reason that anything lurking out there will follow us instead of attacking the village,” Rhania added. “And, if you tell us now, none of your neighbours have to know.”
“My husband was killed by the forest creatures,” Idriene remarked. “Or at least I think he was. Glonn sent us all out into the woods to search for the font. He was one of those who didn’t return.”
She paused and turned to the boy. “He is the only family I have left, so forgive me for not taking chances when it comes to keeping him safe.”
“Will that keep you safe from your neighbours?” Ricar ventured. “Are you sure none of them supports Glonn?”
Idriene frowned as she joined Rhania by the fire. “They are cowards who will support whoever’s in power.”
“So he has supporters amongst the people,” Ricar remarked.
Idriene sighed. “I’d be lying if I said no, but I won’t sell them. We have lived together for two years.”
“You know some hard questions will be asked when Sir Ilian returns,” Ricar warned. “You would be wise to get on my good side now. For both your son’s sake and yours.”
Idriene smiled serenely as she locked eyes with Ricar. “I’ll take my chances, Master Steward. Whatever happens when the lord returns will matter little if a creature lays waste to our village tonight.”
“We will stay until daybreak,” Ricar sighed at length. “And not a moment longer.”
Idriene nodded her head. “That is acceptable, thank you.”
She then turned to her boy. “Go on, get to bed. These strong warriors will keep us safe for the night.”
The boy disappeared into the room, and she turned back to Rhania. She wasn’t old, perhaps in her mid-twenties, but she possessed a tired, careworn face and her hair had already begun to grey.
“How quickly humans age,” Rhania thought to herself. “Especially out here on the frontier.”
“Oh, I know, I look awful,” Idriene smiled when she noticed Rhania’s stare. “Life out here can be difficult, but we take the good with the bad, as is Aertani’s will.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t…” Rhania began.
“You look so young,” Idriene remarked as she peered at Rhania’s face. “What brings you out here?”
“She is an Arbiter of Ildurin,” Ricar said when Rhania didn’t reply. “So rest assured, Glonn’s days are numbered."
Idriene’s eyes widened in surprise and admiration. “An arbiter at such a young age.”
“I’m not as young as I look,” Rhania replied bitterly. Idriene’s eyes were as wide as saucers when Rhania pulled the hood of her cloak back, revealing her ears. “But as humans say, never judge a book by its cover.”
Idriene gasped in surprise and covered her agape mouth with her hand before bowing her head apologetically. “Forgive me. This is my first time seeing an elf.”
Wanting to change the subject, Rhania turned to Ricar. “Will your lord send reinforcements here?”
“Not without hearing first hearing from us,” he replied.
“Is there a way we can tell him?” Rhania ventured.
Ricar shook his head. “Even if there was, I doubt he would send help before Glonn was dealt with.”
Rhania nodded absently before turning back to Idriene. “How long ago did he leave the village?”
“This morning,” she replied.
“So, he has a day’s head start,” Rhania frowned. “And how far is it to the font?”
Idriene bit her lip and Ricar cleared his throat. “We will need to leave the moment you tell us about this place, so we need to learn as much about it as possible until then.”
Rhania and Ricar exchanged looks while Idriene pondered whether or not she should divulge anything more. “It’s a day and a half’s walk from here.”
“Is it an elf ruin?” Rhania asked. “Did it have writing like the building where the sword was found?”
“I think so,” Idriene began.
Rhania leaned forward excitedly and grabbed Idriene by the hands. “And was there a circular hole in the roof that looked like it had been placed there intentionally?”
Idriene was taken aback by her sudden enthusiasm and nodded briskly. Abruptly, Rhania gathered her weapons and got to her feet.
“It’s an elven temple,” she said to Ricar.
The wiry man arched an eyebrow. “Is that bad?”
“No, but it will be by the river,” she replied. “All we need to do is follow it upstream for a day and a half and we ought to find it.”
A smile crept across his face. “Well then, let’s get going.”
“Wait, that wasn’t what we agreed!” Idriene cried as she attempted to grab Rhania by the wrist.
The half elf, though, had been watching her carefully and easily evaded her grasp. “It could be a week before help arrives. Our spending one night here won’t make a difference to your safety.”
“Besides, you didn’t tell us where the font was,” Ricar smirked.
Idriene rushed to the door and blocked it with her slight frame. “Please, don’t leave.”
“Don’t embarrass yourself,” Ricar sighed.
Rhania looked at the woman and saw the desperation in her eyes. “Why are you so eager to have us stay?”
Sweat streamed down the side of Idriene’s face as she alternated her gaze between Ricar and Rhania. At length, she began to speak. “The people of this village have sided with Glonn.”
“But not you,” Ricar observed flatly.
Idriene shook her head. “I am a devout worshipper of Aertani and I have no intention to let my son grow up in the world that man intends to bring about.”
“What does that have to do with keeping us here for the night?” Ricar demanded.
Idriene shoulders shuddered as she heaved a sigh. “I’d hoped that they would show their true colours in the night. Then, you could deal with them accordingly.”
“Why not tell us they were on his side from the start?” Rhania asked.
“Well, first I had to get you in here,” she said. “So that if they somehow managed to overcome you, I could tell them that I invited you here to prevent you from pursuing our master and to set up an ambush. However, you tricked me into revealing the location before I could share my plan with you.”
“Which was?” Rhania asked.
“To set up an ambush for the ambushers,” she replied.
“Why didn’t they attack us from the start?” Rhania ventured.
Idriene smirked. “They’re cowards. They saw what you did to one of Glonn’s Chosen and were frozen with fear.”
“Do you think they are going to attack, then?” Ricar mused after a moment’s thought. “We can’t afford to wait for them all night.”
Idriene shrugged. “As I said, they’re cowards.”
“Unbelievable,” Rhania sighed. “Cowardly and willing to prostrate themselves to the Dark Gods, and for what?”
“Need I remind you that the person in that tomb was an elf,” Ricar remarked genially.
Rhania glared at him, and the wiry man spread his hands out. “All I’m saying is you can’t claim the moral high ground on that one.”
“But more importantly,” he continued as he cocked her head at Idriene. “What do we do about her?”
Rhania frowned and glanced out the window. The other buildings were dark, but she could feel their occupants’ eyes on them. She then turned her attention back to Idriene. “I have an idea that might absolve her of their suspicion.”