“They are at the second flank. Right here.” Rethia pointed a feather at her map, still spread out in the command tent. “And here, at the first flank, is a gathering of spiders. Me shouting for people had thrown them into motion.”
“I guess they are nocturnal. There haven’t been any attacks during the day. Scouts report that parts of the mist break of and float away during the day, but it doesn’t grow like it seems to do at night. That’s it, then.”
The search leader stormed out of the tent.
“Attention, everyone! We’ve found the caravan and several groups of spiders sit between them and us! Who here has control over wind magic?”
Three people stepped up, wearing fancy robes and hats, and holding funny staffs.
How do they fight like that? They can barely move with those robes, thought Rethia.
“Two of you take turns blasting the mist from the path. Scouts will burn the webs. Warriors! Keep close to the mages and protect them! If we encounter spiders, kill them. Archers, you get on the rocks around the path and give support! I want every single spider dead! You,” he pointed at one of the wind mages. “I need a group of agile people, a mix of warriors and archers, with him! You go cross country and clear out the spiders right in front of the caravan. This harpy will lead you there!”
Blinking, Rethia stared at the search leader. “Me?” she squeaked out.
“You see anyone else here who knows the lay of the land?”
“But, but.”
“You! Break down the camp. I want warriors along the whole line and you guys,” he pointed at a group of six. “You are the rear guards.”
Going by the pissed look the six people gave him, Rethia tagged them as Wanderers.
Everyone stared at the search leader, until he said: “Now get to it!”
And then chaos broke out. People running every which way, chatter growing louder and echoing back from the rocks. Utterly overwhelmed, Rethia fled atop one of said rocks, staring down. Stuff was packed, groups were made and people jogged down the path, leaving camp.
“Fascinating. Really fascinating.”
It wasn’t even midday yet, but it already looked like they would have the caravan back by evening. They had a plan. They had enough warriors to kill every last spider and they had people other than her to push the cursed mist away from the webs.
“Rethia, were do we go?” asked Thomas from below. Unsurprisingly, her trio of Wanderers stood there, together with the singled out wind mage and more people. All expectantly staring up at her.
“Uhm…” she turned around, orienting herself. “First, you get up on that side?” she pointed a wing at the rocks on the other side of the camp, left of the left-hand path.
“Hey!” the search leader stepped up. “You guys wait with your attack for my signal, got that? We’re getting them in a good old pincer.”
Whatever a pincer’s got anything to do with this. But Rethia nodded at the order. Seeing that her trio was already up on the rocks, she flew over, crouching down on Stooges shoulder. The man straightened immediately.
“I didn’t take you for an agile warrior.” (Rethia)
“Strictly speaking, I ain’t one. But I’m faster than some others,” answered Stooge proudly.
“Good for me. You make a nice lookout spot. I can’t always land and tell everyone where to go. And shouting down seems rude to me.”
Stooge slumped a little.
“Actually, the way is pretty simple. With these pesky walls gone, you can walk mostly straight over,” she said, once everyone was gathered on top of the rocks. Pointing her wing in the vague direction of their destination. “Sure, it’s not as even as the path down there, but it’s much better than winding back and forth.”
They made their careful way over the slopes for half an hour, the mage and Kaska in the middle, some warriors and most archers at the back and the rest clustered up front, when one of them said: “You could sit on my shoulder. I’m sure it’s more comfy than that plate pauldron.”
“Thanks, but he is larger than everyone.” She patted Stooge on the helmet, finding the warriors around them giving him venomous looks. “Finding the way from down here is difficult enough. I don’t understand how you Landbound get anywhere. I can’t even see our destination from down here.”
Twice, she took flight, checking their route from above and correcting it. Once, they had to walk around a short sidepath, but they got to the flank around mid-afternoon, getting a good look at the mist-filled path.
“Uhm… pitch camp a bit away?” said Rethia, as the dratted Landbound once more looked at her for directions. “I, uhm, am going to check on the others?” And fled as quickly as possible.
“I can’t lead a bunch of people! What should I even tell them? They must’ve much more experience than me!” she howled at Sven, circling along the path until she found the assault group blowing away mist and setting webbing aflame.
Spiders slowly crawled out of the webbing, hissing, clacking – and being shot down by archers. Or killed by a well placed sword from a guarding swordfighter.
She landed on the rocks close to where she saw the search leader. People below scooted away, giving her room to hop down the last three meters.
“We’ve reached the flank, sir.”
“Faster than I expected. What’s it look from up there? I know we haven’t reached the first flank yet, but we can’t be that far off either.”
Rethia cringed. Going by their progress until now…
“That bad?” growled the man.
“You have to walk a third of the distance that you already walked from that crossing…” she pulled her wings up to hide behind them, as the search leader’s face turned stormy. “But after that, it’s quite close to the second flank. Only the same distance again…”
“You call that close?!” shouted the man back. Rethia ducked her head behind her wings.
Just why did I accept this request? I want to go home… inward, she was crying.
“You and you, grab five archers and three shield-users. Rendevous with the other group at the flank. In the morning, start your attack at the spiders. Get the caravan out of there. We’ll clear this path up for their wagons and animals.”
She heard two people jog away and peeked above her wing, checking. A single finger was pointed straight at her.
“You have command.”
“Me?” she squeaked, shivering.
“You think one of those battle-manic Wanderers have the head to lead an attack? Hah! All they know is how to run in and hit stuff.”
“I can’t even fight, how’m I to lead them?” her eyes darted everywhere, refusing to look at that pointed finger and the search leader. “What.. . your scouts…”
“You lead. What’s the problem? Harpies are the vanguards of the gods! Who better to lead an attack?”
Rethia opened and closed her mouth, unable to say anything to that. Her whole body shivered and she stared at the grizzled man with wide eyes.
“See, trembling from anticipation! I was a bit suspicious when I first saw you, but look here! Just a few days and you found the caravan, while my scouts found nothing in double the time. You must be sent by the gods!” his eyes held some kind of fervor in them that frightened Rethia right out of her feathers.
“Miss, we’re ready to leave.” One of the scouts saved her, pointing up at where a small group had gathered. A rope was still dangling down the walls, waiting for the scout.
“Right. Uh, I must be off now.” Rethia gave the man a quick bow and fled into the dubious safety of this new group.
“Good hunting!” called the search leader after them.
“We should be there soon. Just a few more minutes…” Rethia trudged next to the scout who held a lantern, glaring into the dusk. The camp had been so close from the sky. But from down here, she saw not even a glimmer of it.
“Going by your map, we’ll need half an hour, miss. If the terrain stays like this,” said one of the scouts.
“Seriously, telling a harpy to lead a bunch of Landbound around. And lead an attack, no less!” muttered Rethia under her breath.
The scout barked out a laugh. “That’s him, alright. He’s a legends fanatic. But don’t you worry your pretty feathers. We can help you with a plan.”
“Sure we can!” shouted one Wanderer enthusiastically. “Hit ‘em hard and kill ‘em all, right?”
A few of the others chuckled. Some archers audibly sighed.
“And that’s why no one wants you in their group, Sludge,” added one of them.
Strange name… Sludge…
“Marwin is right, we’ll help you with that plan.” An archer caught up to her other side and patted her on the shoulder.
Sven immediately chittered at them, eliciting an “Wooh, sorry. No offense.”
“Someone is coming from up front.” (scout)
Arrows slid out of their quivers. Swords were raised. The shield-users shuffled to the front, while the archers dropped back into the darkness. Everyone stared at the bouncing little light that gradually came closer.
Tense minutes passed, before a cheerful whistle reached them.
“Gi gii~” Sven broke the silence with a happy chatter.
“Why should Thomas come here?” asked Rethia straight back.
“Is that Sven I hear there? Rethia? You alright?” shouted Thomas’ voice in the darkness.
The group visibly relaxed, bowstrings were slowly released and the swords lowered.
“I’m over here, Thomas,” shouted Rethia back.
The scout, Marwin, held his lantern up, swinging it around. Thomas’ light reoriented itself towards them and they met somewhere in the middle. Thomas fell into step beside them, correcting their direction a little.
“What brings you here?” asked Marwin.
“We saw Rethia land somewhere in this direction, and since we know that she can’t see too well in the dark, I was sent to bring her back. Didn’t know she already had an escort. What did the grumpy boss man say? Should we attack now? How long until they reach the flank?” (Thomas)
“We’re to attack in the morning,” answered Rethia darkly. “That’s why we get some more people to fight. The others will clear the path to get everyone away. Don’t know when they will reach the flank.”
“Oh great! Everyone will be happy to hear that! They feared it would take some more days and then they wouldn’t, eh- ehem. Never mind.” Thomas laughed nervously.
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Busy with her own thoughts, Rethia didn’t notice it. How am I supposed to lead a group of Landbound? Is that what Isatha meant, when she said that we’re seen as mythical creatures or some such? How do I do this?! What would be a good plan? Uhm… well… we could strike from above in hit and run tactics? Wait, they are Landbound, they can’t fly!
In the end, it were the two scouts, that came up with a plan in the morning. All Rethia had to do was tell it to everyone, because the Wanderers somehow listened more closely to her than the scouts. And the few adventurers among them who weren’t Wanderers didn’t want to listen to the plans of a Wanderer.
Working as a mediator is fine, I guess. Better than thinking up a plan…
Rethia brought one end of a rope to the flank and Sven tied it around a stone. Then a scout and the mage used it to get across the mist, positioning themselves on an outcropping – the scout making a tiny fire.
The others lurked behind rocks opposite from the mage and scout, weapons ready and waiting.
The mage raised his hands and mumbled something, then the top layer of the mist was blasted away by a strong current of air. Part of it was pushed out onto the slope and the rest was pushed to the side. The scout threw a burning piece of wood onto the exposed webs.
Scratching and angry clacking could be heard and the mist billowed like a pot of boiling water. Then it stopped. On the other side, one of the lurking warriors raised a hand and waved. The mage grinned and they repeated this until they had cleared a corridor of a full wingspan. At the bottom, Rethia saw a spider rushing into the mist to escape the sunlight.
Ropes were thrown down, the heavy fighters climbing down first. The archers stood guard at the top, bows drawn at the mist on both sides of the corridor. Then the agile fighters and the mage climbed down, joining the heavy fighters.
There wasn’t really much for Rethia to do but watch. And direct them towards the left side of the flank, where the caves should be.
There were a great many webs in the mist, and the spiders were clacking their mandibles angrily in the mist, but they hid themselves in the mist whenever they were exposed to the daylight.
The Wanderers were getting upset at the fleeing spiders, but there was nothing they could do. They got to the caves and stopped. Mist clogged the two entrances and legs chimed against each other.
“Now what?” asked the mage as Rethia landed to check why they had stopped, guzzling down another bottle with blue stuff in it.
“What’s the problem?” asked Rethia, staring suspisiously at the mist and the blue drink.
“I’m not proficient enough to direct my wind magic anywhere else but to the front. It will push the mist further into the cave and to the caravan. And the spiders will follow the mist,” explained the mage.
“Effectively killing our chances to save them,” mused a scout.
“Uhum…” Rethia pulled her wings tight, trying to shrink away from the sudden attention everyone gave her. As if I hold the solution to our problem, she sobbed quietly. The plan thus far had been from a scout! She had only told it to everyone.
Searching for help, she stared at said scout with begging eyes. Who shrugged with a helpless look.
“Uhm… eh… hum… first, we… hu… should check which… which cave it is?” she managed, grasping at straws. That sounded like a good idea. And that scout had brightened a little, giving her some confidence. “Please check which cave the caravan is in. Maybe we can set up a plan with them, get some information how they’re holding up. At the very least, we won’t have to clear out both caves.”
“Yes, ma’am,” some of the Wanderers gave her a salute and walked up to the caves. At first, they shouted over each other. Noticing that it wouldn’t have any effect that way, they organized themselves somewhat.
But it doesn’t solve how to get that cursed mist away! It only buys me a little time… have to think something up… anything… fluffing her feathers, she stalked up and down in a circle. Her path brought her close to her trio of Wanderers, lounging against the stones without a care in the world. She gave them an envious glare.
They have it pretty nice, don’t they? Throw command to someone else, and only do what you’re told to. Their whole life consists of hunting and eating and sleeping! What they know of tactics is hacking and slashing and nothing more! And here I am, stuck with leading them and I have no idea what I’m doing! The least they could do is look busy!
“Can’t you screech them into unconsiousness again, like during that night attack?” asked Kaska, knocking against the stone. “This should produce some nice echoes, what do you guys say?”
Stooge grimaced and Thomas nodded.
“That was an accident that shouldn’t have happened! A harpy’s screech is a form of communication. It’s not like the sound attacks of the hoarfrost bats that are said to inhabit large cave systems up in the Glacial Teeth. It’s not a form of attack,” lectured Rethia, hissing.
“It seemed like an attack to me,” shrugged Stooge. “Maybe you never tried it where it could echo. Or these Cloud Spiders are very vulnerable to sounds.”
“A screech is not an attack!” insisted Rethia, then stopped. “What’s a Cloud Spider?”
“The name of these spiders. The large translucent ones that scared you so much? We decided to call them that,” explained Kaska.
“How can you?! They have nothing in common with nice fluffy clouds! Name them something else!”
“Eh… the name already stuck. Apparently weak to sunlight – or daylight, since they still fled although this part of the path lies in shadows. And we think they are also weak to sound.” (Kaska)
“Very high pitched sounds,” added Thomas helpfully.
“Right, that. During that attack, the one right in front of me tried to cocoon itself. We think it’s a defensive measure. I know for a fact that there were like six spiders that came to attack us. But we only found two after you pushed the mist away. Both were wrapped in cocoons.” (Kaska)
“Ma’am, the caravan is in the first cave. They sound afraid but alive. Apparently they have been pushed deeper into the cave since they got there,” reported someone.
Rethia flinched at the sudden voice, having forgotten her surroudings during her heated discussion with the trio.
“What are your orders?”
“My… orders…” she blanched. She still had no idea what to do. Using a high pitched screech was obviously nonsense. She had never heard about a harpy that could screech in such a way that her enemies would take damage. It was simply a surprise accident. Something else must’ve happened to that first mutant spider she had seen.
She looked around. Landbound were leaning against stones or milling around, keeping close watch of the mist blocking each side of the path. There were two caves that were clogged with the stuff. And everywhere could lurk spiders, waiting for nightfall. And she had to find a way to get the caravan out of the cave. Preferably without killing them.
The search leader had simply pointed at people and told them what he wanted them to do, right? Had it been random? Or had he known what skills his people had?
“Defensive lines,” squeaked Rethia, barely heard by the adventurer that still stood next to her, waiting for her orders.
“Excuse me?”
“Ahem, I want… some defensive… lines?” Her gaze flickered around, unsure. We could also just climb back up the sides and camp on the slopes? Then we wouldn’t be in danger of a night attack and, ah… the spiders will spin their webs again and everything will be covered in mist by morning… we have to stay down here until we have the caravan…
One of the two scouts drifted closer. In her best imitation of the search leader, Rethia straightened her back, scowled and pointed a wing at the scout.
In a loud voice, she commanded: “You, grab some people and build defensive lines on… on both sides. And have someone build… build a camp. Uh… the… uhm… half should take a rest and… and… right, they’ll take the first night watch. Uhm…”
The scout slouched a little, but got to work. The adventurer who had still been waiting took it as a dismissal and joined the scout.
The other one, Marwin, if memory served her right, popped up right next to her, as if he had always been there. Startled, she hopped away, ruffling her feathers.
“Uh… do we still have enough wood? I mean, uh, firewood?” she asked of him.
“We should get by for one night with what everyone carries in their Item Bags, but I will check. If there is not enough, I’ll send a pair or two onto the slopes to gather wood,” answered Marwin with cool professionalism.
“Please tell me you have an idea how to save the caravan,” begged Rethia.
“No. Maybe the caves are connected? Or you could try that sound attack them Wanderers proposed.” Marwin shrugged. “Otherwise we wait for the boss man and see what he thinks about it.”
Rethia shuddered at the thought of the search leader. “He’s a fanatic,” she whispered.
“Sure he is. If you’re lucky, he’ll think it is a test the gods gave him and that’s why you, sent by the gods, didn’t go further to save the caravan. Or not. Excuse me. Gotta help the boy with organizing. He’s new and doesn’t have much experience yet.”
“I wish someone could teach me,” she muttered at the back of the leaving scout, watching him teach about organizing defense lines and building a camp.
“There isn’t really much about leading, is there? You just have to say what you want and others have to find out how to make it work?” asked Thomas, the trio having listened to the conversation without making a sound.
“That’s not true. My old man says that you need charisma and knowledge,” denied Stooge. “If you lack charisma, no one will listen to you. And if you give nonsensical orders, people won’t do it, either. And you have to know what skills people have. If you send a heavy fighter to spy on someone, you won’t get good results. The right person for the right job, he said. Or something like that.”
“I always thought a leader just needs good talking skills. No matter what shit they talk about, as long as they twist it around until it sounds plausible and good, people just do what they want without thinking twice.” Kaska shrugged. “Anyway, what do we do next?”
The right person for the right job? Heh. Can someone please take over for me?! Rethia stalked away from the trio, returning to mulling her thoughts as the area descended into ordered chaos. She barely noticed Landbound dodging out of her way. If not for the nagging feeling that she was currently responsible for everyone here, she would’ve taken a head-clearing flight.
Wait. Why do I feel responsible for everyone? That’s not like me. Why am I pacing on the ground like a Landbound? I’m a harpy. I’m free to go where I want and when I want! Damnation on that search leader for appointing me as the leader! frustrated with herself and angry at the orders, she bore down on that feeling of responsibility, trying to strangle it. Without success.
Sven threw her a lifeline: “Guu, gigi.”
“You’re right. Someone has to check on their progress.” Clinging to the chance, she fled the hampering grounds and the responsibilites of finding a solution. At least for a while.
The wind cooled down her heated thoughts. Clouds were cut apart by her wings, as she raced upwards. Sven chittered happily on her back. Below, the mountains threw shadows on themselves, weaving a mosaic of bright and dark. The main host crawled through the path like a large earthworm, spitting fire and devouring the mist.
If they kept the pace up they would arrive around late morning on the next day.
She fell back through the clouds, momentarily staring at the small hole she had left behind, before rolling back into a flying position. It reminded her of the name her trio of Wanderers had given the dratted beasts.
Cloud Spiders. How could name them them like that? They are nothing like clouds! They are not fluffy and they don’t fly in the sky. They are not soft or ethereal. They, they… how did they think up that name?! Mist Spiders, perhaps, since they live in that cursed mist! Haaah… I should stop getting angry. It doesn’t matter what they call the spiders, does it? I just don’t like the name, is all.
Still have to think up a way to get the caravan out of the cave. Before it gets dark.
She grabbed an updraft, then plunged straight into a slightly thicker cloud, sweeping upwards along its side once she was through. Fine droplets covered her feathers after her third drop through the cloud.
Flying up again and hovering over the hole she had created in the cloud, she watched it close up again. Just to drop through the cloud once more with a gleeful giggle.
This! This was so much better than taking care of a bunch of malformed Landbound. If they could fly, they would never get caught by some monster spiders. But it was time, wasn’t it?
I can’t run away from responsibility forever, right?
With a sigh, she fell through the cloud one last time, back first, to enjoy the sprawling view of the sky just that much longer.
Another hole in the cloud, she thought with a giggle and watched as the wind herded the cloud along, the hole closing up in the process. If only it would be that easy with the mist, too. But nooo, there just have to be sticky webs and monster spiders inside it. And it eats fire. A shiver went down her spine.
“Giiiriririiii!” chittered Sven happily.
“Thanks.” Rolling around, she swept into a spiraling descent, once more returning to the restricting ground, leaving the skies she preferred.
“Welcome back, miss.” Marwin appeared at her side before she had completely landed. “Camp has been set up and defense lines have been built towards the mist. Rotation of the night watch has been settled on as well.”
She longingly gazed upwards, tucking her wings close. A few more hours of daylight… And I’m hungry again. I wish I could fly through that cloud another dozen times, instead of managing this… this mess.
“When will be dinner?” she asked absently, her gaze drifting over the neat camp. Something about that cloud… The cloud was stuck in her mind. Drifting behind her eyes, the holes she had created slowly being filled up as it was pushed along by the wind.
“Dinner? Not for another two hours, but I guess I can get someone to make some snack for you,” answered Marwin, the question catching him off-guard.
Her eyes alighted on the mage, sitting and talking with some other Wanderers, laughing without a care in the world. With a hop-glide she landed right next to them.
“Sorry to interrupt. Can I ask some questions about your magic?” she peered down at the mage.
“Uh, sure.” He glanced at his snickering friends. “Yeah, no problem.”
“You said you can only make the wind go straight? Can you shape it? Like, send it out in a line?” (Rethia)
“You mean like a cut or slash? Sure can.” (mage)
“And what of a ball?” (Rethia)
“That’s the first spell a mage learns. Of course I can do that.” (mage)
“Even a small ball? Around as big as, uh, that stone over there?” she pointed at a stone that was double the size of her monkey.
The mage looked at it critically, then nodded. “Sure. Needs a bit of concentration to change the size, but it’s doable. But it can only go in a straight line, so that won’t help us.”
Rethias eyes brightened as a fledgling plan formed in her mind. She turned around, finding herself face to face with Marwin, who had caught up. “Can someone throw fire in a straight line for about… I guess from that mist wall to this mist wall?”
“Throw? No. But some archers here should be able to shoot fire arrows.” Marwin blinked confused eyes at her.
“Get them over to the second cave. You, too, mage. We need to test something. Oh, and Kaska!” she added with an afterthought.
What met her at the second cave was the mage, the scout Marwin, her trio of Wanderers, two archers and a gaggle of curious warriors. Someone was holding a torch.
“We need a way to get through the mist without pushing it further into the cave and thus risking the caravan, right?” Everyone nodded towards her. “This mage here will shoot small wind balls into the mist. And we’ll burn the webs with a flame arrow. If we can make a hole large enough to walk through, we can either escort the mage to the other side and have him push the mist outwards, or we escort the caravan outside without touching the rest of the mist. At least that is the idea I came up with.” She scratched her cheek with a claw. “I want you to check if it is possible.”
“Why am I here?” asked Kaska. “I can neither do wind magic, nor can I shoot arrows.”
“You can see enemies in the mist, right? You did something like that when we were ambushed. Can you do it again? So t hey don’t hit on any spiders?” (Rethia)
“Uh, sure.” Kaska concentrated briefly, then the strange glow once more jumped from her staff to her eyes. “Yes, I see them. In fact, there are several spiders in this cave.”
“Maybe we should first set up a line of warriors, in case the spiders jump out?” advised Marwin from the side.
“Good idea. There are two on the left, three steps in. One on the…” Kaska effectively placed the curious – and now happily grinning – warriors around the cave. Some of them in the second line, in case some spiders decided to jump out again.
“And now we need an opening that is large enough for two people to walk through? That will be hard.” Kaska stared into the mist. “I can find a spot where one and a half person can walk through. Close to the wall on the left side. Or a place in the middle, but only large enough for one person. Assuming the spiders don’t move.”
“Let’s try in the middle first?” decided Rethia.
“Keep an eye on the spiders reaction. Night will fall in a bit over an hour and these critters are nocturnal,” added Marwin.