It felt like half the town was already ablaze despite the battle only beginning a few minutes ago. By now the mercs have figured out that they are facing only a singular foe and had adapted their tactics to deal with the thrown flames Rybrus prepared - mostly by spreading apart so that I couldn't target a large group.
The flames however served a secondary purpose - more and more the city became a burning nightmare, cutting off pathways and flank routes. The gate they arrived through was technically able to be crossed, but doing so required literal leaping through fire. While the thrown flames were dangerous, they weren't immediately lethal as long as they managed to get away from the fire. And unlike the big unknown with the gate, here they knew they faced only a single foe and went on to pursue me.
The traps served their purpose and bought me time to get away, but I was frankly becoming exhausted from all the running - not to mention an arrow shot grazed my shoulder and I was dealing with the pain on top of it all. Furthermore, I was running out of traps to fall back to.
A few more close calls later with the pursuing foes I was finally forced back to retreat to the final stage of this battle. The large stone fort that was the centerpiece of the town. My dash through the front gate - which would ordinarily be barred by a portcullis - was seen by the enemies and I knew I only had a few moments to breathe in the significantly cooler air inside.
I was feeling panic sinking in - what if Rybrus was late, or was defeated or something else went wrong. He needed to make it here before me and get to the room above the entrance of the fort - from there the rope holding the portcullis lifted could be cut, trapping everyone inside.
I glanced at the ceiling, and saw nothing but... well, a ceiling. I didn't know what I expected, but barked orders to pursuit and watch out for more traps dragged my attention away from the brief distraction. I knew it was important that I do not screw this up, and I could only hope that Rybrus didn't do so.
The plan inside the town itself was to wear them down, and inflict as much damage as possible without either of us being in too significant danger. With the town itself ablaze, the air should be scorching dry and borderline unbreathable, pushing the mercs to take shelter in the only flame resistant structure nearby and tough it out. However, a cautious foe would be hesitant to walk into the narrow halls against an enemy that is known to use traps and throws fire. As such, a bait was needed.
That's why I needed to be seen running in, and that's why the door in front of me - leading deeper into the structure was locked. And why I was desperately slamming into it with my meager body weight, making as much noise as possible. "OPEN GOD DAMMIT!" I shouted at the door, not even having to fake the fear and frustration in my voice.
I bashed against the thick wooden door again with my good shoulder as running steps filtered into the narrow corridor behind me. "Oh girlie, you've caused me so much trouble today." Once again I did not need to even try to act, as me whipping around and glaring at the incoming horde of particularly angry mercs was terrifying.
The speaker was a tall man, with awful slouched posture and a glare would pierce my soul with sheer anger were he capable of doing so. He raised his right hand and two archers took positions next to him, pointing drawn arrows directly at me. "Now, you're gonna tell me what the hell possessed you to attack us, and what happened to our comrades."
My eyes darted around, and I couldn't help but feel that I'm truly about to die. A single misstep, or a wrong word and they'll end me here and now. Furthermore, much to my dismay, the steel gate that was supposed to trap everyone in here stayed still. Hopefully Rybrus was just a little bit late... Surely that was it, just a bit more time.
"Okay! Okay!" The words out of my mouth were panicked, which prompted a cruel grin from the group's leader. "I was trav-" Before I could even start telling the story, he stomped his foot down - earning a fearful wince from me and a chuckle from those behind him.
Stolen story; please report.
"Skip the bullshit and spill the info, or I'll get it out of your tortured corpse." I heard a few more of the mercs file into the building, probably seeking shelter from the heat - and curious to see the person who caused them no end of grief.
"Right!" I was downright terrified. "Smoke coming from town, wanted to pass through-" I started ranting off the truth in short points, praying that the seconds I was purchasing were enough time. "-but had to help, looked around for survivors, found people looting the Ved-"
"Where are they?!" He shouted and I couldn't help but feel the sweat roll down my face. I did not even consider the answer and merely spoke the truth out of sheer panic. "D-Dead! Down below! I can show you, please!"
His eyes narrowed as I revealed the fate of those six. "Well, it appears you are no longer useful to me." The words send shivers across my spine. I pressed my back against the door behind me, and could only hope that I've done enough.
"Kill her." The man's hand fell as arrows were unleashed to where I stood.
'Mom!' I pleaded in my mind as darkness erupted and my form turned immaterial, letting me fall through the door behind me.
I heard the arrows impact the door frame that was suddenly in front of me, just as a heavy metal thud resounded from the other side - soon followed by a multitude of voices cursing about torments.
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I was barely able to take three breaths before the banging on the door I moved through began - and unlike me these guys packed enough punch to make the hinges holding it to bend. I knew I didn't have much time, so I quickly got the very last bottle of flammable alcohol and the firemaker and set it ablaze. In the next breath, I let my body appear in a dark corner on the other side of the door, before tossing the bottle in the tightly packed group of humans. A blink of an eye later, before the bottle even impacted and the fires spread, I was already gone.
All that was left for me to do was to hold the door closed for as long as I could - luckily we barricaded it earlier so the task wasn't particularly taxing. The effect of the darkness would keep the mercs from being able to see the flaming bottle tossed towards them, nor the flames spreading between them or even the closed gate or the doors I was holding barricaded.
I was too exhausted - both physically and mentally - to do anything other than simply focus on pressing my hands against the door to keep it shut tight.
Screaming filled the air and I allowed myself to breathe a sigh of relief. I was safe, finally. There was nothing else left for me to do. I focused on my breathing at a simple yet practiced rhythm.
Breathe in - 'One, Two, Three' - hold it - 'One, Two, Three' - breathe out - 'One, Two, Three' - and hold yet again, then repeat all over. I felt my heartbeat slowly returning to what can only be described as the glacial pace of a panicking rabbit and I took the opportunity to remind myself once again that it truly is finally over.
Then - suddenly - the entire world turned to white for but a breath and buzzing filled my ears. My vision was unfocused on top of seeing double as I tried to figure out what the hell just happened. Slowly, my senses started to return as searing pain spread across my less-than-real body and I couldn't help but howl - it hurt so much more than any physical pain and I was wholly unprepared for the sensation.
A moment later, my vision focused enough to see what hurt me - rubble. A huge pile of it was around me and I was partially buried. I weakly pushed the rock and wood off me - which allowed me to see the cause. The wall I was hiding behind was missing, as if the wrath of gods themselves decided it was an inconvenient obstacle that must be destroyed. In it's place was a black mark as if something scorching hot burnt there during the few moments of my confusion - and it was surrounded by the gore of bodies torn apart by a powerful force.
I had absolutely no understanding of what went down, but something I did understand is that there was a survivor - someone who hid behind the bodies of his comrades as whatever went down happened. The leader of the mercs - still ablaze - was walking towards me with a determination I have not seen since mother died to save my life.
A sense of overwhelming dread the likes of which I have not felt in my life until now filled me despite the shadowy form's ability to suppress emotions, and I desperately tried to push myself away out of his reach.
With each step he got closer, and I remained trapped under the rubble. With each step, his eyes pierced my very soul - and with each step the flames claimed more of his form. The moment stretched unto eternity as he finally stopped within a weapon's reach of me, and raised his weapon - a brutal looking morning star with spikes.
He remained in that pose for half a breath, before finally dropping onto the ground next to me like a sack of potatoes, though the wicked mace dropping onto my leg elicited yet another scream of pain from me. The agony was starting to take me and soon I felt myself lose consciousness.
The last thing I noticed were the whispered words of a defeated but determined warrior.
"Do not... squander it. The victory... you've... earned... Hunter."