11

The Paladin and the Cleric

Dark clouds rolled across the afternoon Alarian sky. A tan skinned, stocky, height challenged elf, rode proudly on his steed, an abnormally large miniature donkey. He stroked his grey beard, light from the sun reflecting off his balding head, thinking about the possible next town they’d happen across. I do hope this next one has beautiful maidens this time. I, Galinndan Venfiel, need to give all of them my undivided attention. A paladin of the holy order of Akorith, nothing about him made sense, and Galinndan liked it that way.

Three other paladins rode with him. Ayen Carpeiros, another elven man with light skin and long ebony hair but much younger than Galinndan; Xandar Thorodsson, an imposingly large human man with russet skin; and Corra Rosenblade, another human, and the only woman in their traveling band; the light of the sun reflected off three gems embedded into her dark-skinned forehead, that complemented a strange dragon head-shaped tattoo.

There had been others with them, tasked by their high priest to help those in need, but each passing month their numbers slimmed as they were pulled in different directions to heed this order.

As the paladins rode, three cloaked figures appeared on their path. They were lithe of form and of different heights. Galinndan held himself higher, his green eyes glinting. He knew what beauty those cloaks hid from him. Hello, ladies.

They spoke amongst themselves and Galinndan couldn’t help but set his leering gaze upon them as his group passed. The wind picked up suddenly, and all parties did their best to protect themselves. When the gust died down, Galinndan turned to check on the women, only to find their hoods down, revealing them all to be slight elven men. Son of a harpy! He spun around in his saddle and spurred his mount forward.

Corra snickered, her raven hair blowing in the breeze. “Eyes forward, lecher.”

Galinndan ignored the comment. It was one he was all too used to and it didn’t bother him any. He had no shame about his wants and needs, as long as he carried out his holy duties, his desires were never ignored.

He and his comrades traveled for several more miles, two of them complaining of needing a place to rest near the end. Galinndan agreed, though wasn’t vocal about it. They had traveled for a long time, and they were due to find a place with a warm bed. And maybe a lovely lady or two to share it with.

As they turned a bend in the road they happened upon a dwarven man with reddish-pale hair and clad in chainmaille walking in the direction they headed. A shield with a giant tree embossed into it clung to his back, and a mace strapped to his side. A holy man of Ildri? Galinndan pulled up to the man. “Hail, traveler.”

The man looked up at him and smiled, his green eyes sparkling with cheer. “Hail tae ye too, friend.”

The dwarf’s warm demeanor threw the paladin off for a moment. He had been used to dwarfs being far more rough around the edges, even the ones in his order. “We’re paladins of the order of Akorith. Would you know if there’s a town nearby?”

The dwarf frowned. “Afraid nae. I be from a different part o’ the continent meself. I heard thare wis a settlement near here, unmarked on any map, but I have yet tae find it.”

“If we’re all trying to find this place, why don’t you join us,” Xandar offered. “It would be wrong to leave you here alone.”

“Oh, dun ye worry aboot me,” the dwarf said. “I’ll get thare eventually.”

The paladin chuckled. “You’re a cleric, aren’t you?”

The dwarf nodded. “I be a disciple o’ Ildri, the goddess o’ life.”

“I thought so. Very few more selfless than her blessed men.” Corra cleared her throat and he rolled his eyes. “And women.”

Galinndan extended a hand to the dwarf. “We won’t take no for an answer. You can ride with me...uh…”

“Orsik,” the dwarf said, smiling as he shook Galinndan’s hand with a grip strong enough to hurt even him. “Orsik Stranheim.”

“Galinndan. Galinndan Venfiel. And these are my comrades, Ayen Carpeiros, Xandar Thorodsson, and Corra Rosenblade.”

“A pleasure tae meet ye, Galinndan. The rest o’ ye as well.”

“And you. Now hop on. Tyrone here can handle the extra weight, don’t worry.”

The paladins cackled at the name of the beast of burden, but it wasn’t anything new to Galinndan. The man he bought his companion from was quite the interesting individual.

Orsik shrugged. “Well if ye insist.”

He made an attempt to climb onto the donkey, but failed to get too far off the ground. He tried again with the same result. Galinndan refrained from laughing at the poor cleric after his third failed attempt and did his best to assist the man. Orsik eventually ended up up on the beast of burden, but not sitting. His legs kicked in the air as he struggled to move around and right himself. Xandar laughed and came over to help the poor dwarf.

Orsik took a deep breath, his cheeks red with embarrassment. “Thank ye.”

Xandar chuckled again and spurred on his mount. Once Orsik was situated, Galinndan pushed Tyrone to follow.

The group rode for several more miles, Orsik striking up casual conversation with Galinndan and the other paladins. Galinndan found the cleric a bit dopey, but a nice man overall, if not a bit odd. He didn’t drink; chose a life of celibacy; and acted as if he didn’t know the meaning of anger. Galinndan’s fellow paladins were practically smitten with him within a few minutes of conversation and it amused him.

“Galinndan,” Orsik said. “What kind o’ elf ye be? Yer sae short I hain’t been sure ye wis one when we met.”

Galinndan smirked. “A special one.”

“We’re not convinced he’s even an elf,” Ayen sneered. “He just likes to claim he is to feel better about himself.”

Anger flared up in Galinndan and he went to spit out reply, but was interrupted by Corra. “Look there!”

Everyone followed her gesture to find dark smoke billowing into the sky. The wind picked up a round then, and brought with it the smell of fire and burning wood.

“What dae ye think it be?” Orsik asked.

“Forest fire is my guess,” Xandar said.

“Or it could be that settlement we’re looking for,” Corra said.

An ear splitting scream pierced the air, sending a chill down Galinndan’s spine. “I think we just got our answer. Let’s move!”

Dust from the dry ground kicked up from the hooves of their mounts. The band charged down the road. Each second that passed, the smells grew worse and the equines grew restless. Except Tyrone. He stayed far calmer, which was why Galinndan saw more worth in the creature than most. Horses were too flighty for his taste. Donkeys though, they were tougher, like him.

A woman screaming caught his sensitive ears. Galinndan’s eyes narrowed, anger flaring in his chest. That sound was never one he wanted to hear. Much of his past was a blur, having lived over six hundred years it wasn’t a surprise, except he couldn’t recall a specific time that a woman screaming in terror would have caused such a response from him to this day, but it did regardless.

Just then, a woman stumbled into the road ahead of them for the forest. She looked battered, bloodied, and singed. Corra was right, it had been the settlement we were looking for. Ayen charged past them, a sword at the ready to fight whatever may have harmed this mysterious woman. The bushes rustled and the woman scrambled towards the charging elf, begging him to save her. Before she could get very far, a brute of a man with a red painted mark on his face, wielding a curve bladed sword, jumped out of the forest, his eyes glue on his prey.

“Leave her be!” the young elven paladin shouted.

With an amazing display of agility, the paladin leapt off his mount and sunk his sword into the attacking man. His opponent yelled in pain and rage. He yanked himself free, splattering blood and other viscera along the greenery, and brandished his sword at the young elf in challenge. The two locked into combat. Galinndan felt the itch to join, but the woman who still crawled their way needed tending to first.

He pulled up next to her, and Orsik, in his haste to help the woman, tumbled off Tyrone and landed face first into the dirt. He didn’t remain there long though. Picking himself up quickly, he rushed to the woman’s side.

“Please,” she begged through gasped breath. “Please help us!”

“Easy, lass,” Orsik said in a soft tone. “I’ll fix ye up in nae time.”

“But the others… they need help!” she cried.

Xandar and Corra pulled their horses around the front of the two, to shield her from the dual that had now pushed out onto the road. Galinndan hopped off his steed and knelt next to the injured woman, as did Xandar.

“Tell us what happened,” Galinndan said as her body enveloped in the glow of Orsik’s healing magic.

“I–I don’t really know much.” Her lip quivered, her voice trembling. “It’s all a blur. One minute everything was normal, then, out of nowhere, raiders. They killed the men in their path, looting buildings, and are doing unspeakable things to the women and young girls. Please help us.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “We weren’t equipped to handle this. We had only just settled here weeks ago.”

Xandar placed his hand on the woman’s head. “We will help. Galinndan, you take Corra and Ayen, when he’s done dealing with that brute, along with our cleric friend here to the town. I’ll get this woman to a safe location and then meet up with you.”

Galinndan nodded and placed a clenched fist on his chest. “Akorith guide you.”

“And you.” Xandar took Orsik’s place healing the woman, allowing the cleric to leave with the group.

Galinndan helped Orsik mount Tyrone before climbing on himself. As he did, Ayen finished off the bandit. He took a deep, satisfied breath, before running back to them. Corra filled him in quick as he hopped on her horse with her, his much too far down the road for him to retrieve in a timely manner. The four charged toward the smoke.

The smell of burning worsened, and Galinndan had to refrain from retching at the stench of burning bodies. Ayen and Orsik weren’t so successful. Both turned to the side and lost whatever they’d eaten in the past few hours. Galinndan caught Corra rolling her eyes.

Black smoke rolled onto the road in from of them. The paladins pulled on their reigns and equines reared into the air, nearly throwing off their second passengers.

“We should go on foot from here,” Corra said. “Smoke won’t be good for the horses and they’ll get in the way.”

“Agreed,” Galinndan said.

They all dismounted and Corra took the liberty of pulling the two animals farther back and hiding them in the forest, hoping no raider that managed to escape would steal either them. Galinndan pulled his shield off his back and drew his flail, the spiked ball at the end of the chain swinging dangerously. Ayen drew his two longswords and advanced before Corra had made it back. Eager as always.

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Galinndan usually was no better, always eager for a fight, and Corra… well she thought better than the three as long as she wasn’t in battle. Once engaged, she was ruthless, an odd characteristic for the average paladin, though it had to do with her upbringing, or so Xandar said. Corra never spoke of her past and anyone who asked, usually ended up through a wall… if they were lucky.

Corra rushed past Galinndan, her glaive already drawn. He looked at Orsik who appeared worried, but determined. Galinndan suspected the cleric had never seen battle before, based on his demeanor, but as long as he stuck close to him and his men, the dwarf would be fine. “Let’s go, else they’ll have all the fun.”

Orsik nodded and the two of them took off after the two paladins that had disappeared into the smoke. They struggled to keep up in the thick screen, their eyes watering as the smoke filled them. The two fell behind a bit more, but managed to keep their comrade’s shadows in blurred sight.

Then, the smoke thinned, and before they knew it, they were out of it, Corra and Ayen well ahead of them. Orsik struggled to keep pace, nearly tripping over himself several times. This guy is pathetic.

The paladins in front of them took a sharp left, the settlement now in view. Broken walls and burning buildings spanned the scene before them. Fighting could be heard beyond the roaring fires, but the sound of people in distress over powered it all. Determination flared up in Galinndan. He pushed on, clutching his weapon tight.

A frightened woman ran from around the corner of a building, two men pursuing her. They too had similar painted faces as the previous raider. Corra was the first to react. Her speed quickened and she reached the unsuspecting men before either paladins or cleric would think to stop her. They all watched as she cleaved both men nearly in half. The townswoman screamed in fright, but had her wits about her just enough to realize she had been saved. “Thank you, thank you!”

“Get to the forest,” Corra ordered. “We will deal with these ruffians.”

The woman nodded and dashed off into the adjacent tree line. Ayen tightened his grip on his weapons and charged into the town. Corra sighed. “There he goes again.”

“Ye be nae better, lass,” Orsik admonished.

She snorted. “I at least saw my opponents before running in. Ayen is far too battle eager to even do that.”

Galinndan winked at her. “He’s just showing off for you.”

Corra scoffed before running in. It was no secret to most the elven paladin was head of heels for the female warrior. She denied it, thinking she was too rough for most men to care for, but Ayen follow her around like a lost puppy, and got himself into trouble far too many times just for her. Galinndan couldn’t see the appeal of chasing after a single woman, but to each their own he supposed.

He and Orsik rushed after the two, running face first in a bloodbath. The dwarf recoiled at the sight of bodies strewn about. Ayen and Corra had engaged with several marauders as well as the remaining able-bodied men and women who could fight.

Orsik placed a hand on Galinndan’s shoulder and a faint glowing sheen appeared around his chainmaille. “That should help ye, lad. Give ye a wee bit more protection.”

Galinndan nodded his thanks and launched himself into the fray. He swung his flail into the kneecap of a bandit before him. The raider fell to the ground, screaming in agony, so Galinndan put him out of his misery, slamming his flail into the man’s head. Corra sliced down three more raiders and Ayen skewered another one. Galinndan caught a glimpse of Orsik rushing to help an injured townsman and prayed the man knew what he was doing.

More raiders swarmed in, excited at the prospect of a challenging fight. One swung at Galinndan from behind, but his flimsy weapon bounced off of his armor, the protection spell Orsik had applied glowing a moment. Galinndan silently thanked the dwarf for his quick thinking.

Another bandit targeted Corra while she parried an attack from another. Not while I’m here. Galinndan jumped in front of the attack, his shield out, and deflected the blow. “No one hurts the ladies while Galinndan Venfiel is around.”

Corra snorted. “I can handle this, lecher.”

Galinndan grumbled to himself as he swung his flail at the marauder who hit him. Corra had never been the most grateful when one took a blow for her. She acted all offended as if they were saying she couldn’t handle herself, which was far from the truth. No one doubted her skills. For someone only twenty-five years of age, her skills rivaled most in the legion. It helped she fought with a fighting style most had never seen before.

Corra deflected a blow with her plate armor and pulled a feat that gave her the name the Flying Talon; and marked her fight style to be so unique. She placed the flat part of her glaive, modified with an unusual springing contraption, on the ground and launched herself into the air. Ayen and Galinndan instinctively rolled out of her radius, taking advantage of the marauders distracted state to avoid being hit. Corra came back down, the blade of her glaive now glowing. She swung her weapon in a wide sweeping motion, slicing into several enemies at once, and sending the rest flying with a burst of pulsating light from the glaive.

“Why can’t I do cool moves like that?” Galinndan complained as he stood up.

“Well, if you’d focus more on fighting techniques than trying to get a woman in your bed, you might be able to figure out how,” Ayen taunted.

Galinndan snorted and then slammed his flail into a raider trying to get up. He didn’t move again.

A warm glow enveloped both the paladins. They looked over to see Orsik with an arm outstretched towards them. “There, lads, now maybe ye can come closer tae bein’ as impressive as the lass.” He then chuckled showing how much he didn’t believe that. “Course, that spell also helped her, so maybe not.”

The two male paladin’s looked at each other and then looked for more heads to smash. They needed to leave a more impressive mark. But as they scoured the area, able bodied bandits were hard to find. They caught the tail end of a few them escaping into the woods, but the rest remained motionless on the ground.

“I guess that’s it then,” Ayen said, disappointed.

“Leaving so soon?” a female voice called out.

Everyone looked about, trying to find the source of the voice. A shadow appeared in some low billowing smoke. Those able, readied themselves as the figure emerged. Galinndan’s jaw nearly dropped at the sight of the sultry, scantily clad woman. Her dark hair blew in the breeze, and her scared, bronzen skin was stained with blood. A great sword rested over her shoulders. Her lapis eyes glinted with a bloody hunger. And much like the other raiders, red paint marked her face.

Galinndan smirked and winked. “For you, miss, I might just stay.”

The woman grunted. “You can’t stack up to my standards, little man, so don’t even try.”

Anger flared up in his chest. Ayen chuckled. “Damn, double slam.”

“Shut up, kid,” Galinndan grumbled.

Corra held her glaive at the ready. “If you’re looking for a fight, we’ll give you one. If not, leave.”

The woman laughed and held out her weapon with one hand as if it weighed nothing. “I was hoping you’d be up for a good fight. It’s been awhile since I’ve had one. My name is Zalanda, and I will end you.”

The air grew still as all warriors tensed and readied for an attack. Zalanda smirked and launched herself at Ayen, her closest target. He parried the attack, but misjudged her follow up and was sent flying several feet, blood splattering into the air.

Corra charged the female warrior but she was ready. Zalanda ducked under her swing and retaliated. Corra reacted quick enough to dodge, though barely. Orsik rushed over the Ayen while the two women continued to exchange blows and checked him over only to find him dazed with minor wounds, his armor having taken the majority of the blow.

Galinndan focused on the dueling women, waiting for an opening to aid Corra. He noticed Zalanda’s eyes growing red with rage, her attacks becoming more chaotic. Galinndan used that to his advantage and found the perfect opening to strike. She didn’t see it coming, though the damage the spikes on his flail left, didn’t seem to faze her. She bled, but continued to fight as if he hadn’t touched her.

He’d had heard of this rage induced fighting style--orcs were known to innately use it even as children--but Galinndan had never paired against someone who was capable of it. He knew it to be a difficult style to fight against, but not impossible. They just had to be extra diligent. Xandar’s return would also be helpful right about now.

Galinndan and Corra tag teamed the raging woman, drawing blood where they could, but still they struggled to wear her down. It was the opposite for Zalanda. With each swing she’d either hit, or take extra energy out of them even with a dodged, parried, or deflected attack. She’s good, I’ll give her that.

Zalanda grinned, the lust of battle consuming her, and she swept her blade in an arching motion. Corra and Galinndan tried to dodge the attack, but moved too slow and were sent flying into a burning building. Both groaned in pain and got to their knees.

“She’s tougher than she looks,” Galinndan said.

“Yeah but not impossible to beat,” Corra said. She clutched her holy symbol that hung from her neck. “Akorith’s light will be the reason we prevail.”

Galinndan nodded, his determination drawing from her, and the two got to their feet. They gazed toward Zalanda to find Ayen engaged in combat, though he was fighting in an unusual way. He looked to be blocking her from moving certain ways. That’s when a beam of holy light plummet down from the sky just behind Zalanda. Zalanda rolled away from the blinding energy, but it was apparent it still had taken a toll on her. Galinndan’s eyes fell to Orsik, a hand held out towards the combat, his eyes aglow with radiant light. Nice job, cleric. It looked like the spell hadn’t done all of the damage it could, but Galinndan suspected the cleric had wanted to avoid hitting Ayen.

A blur of speed rushed out of the shadows, and before anyone could react, a great sword, lit up in holy light, swung at Zalanda, slicing into her unprotected midsection. She roared in pain and swung her weapon at the intruder. Corra and Galinndan cheered at the sight of Xandar blocking the oncoming attack. About time he showed up!

Ayen, without missing a beat, held up his swords, each glowing now in a holy light. Corra and Galinndan exchanged glances before grasping their holy symbols, their weapons glowing in response.

Galinndan charged first and Corra followed. Ayen landed a blow of their enemy with one of his swords, but she managed to dodge out of the way of his second and Xandar’s attempt as well. Galinndan closed the gap and swung his weapon, the spike ball slamming into the enemy woman’s side. Zalanda stumbled back, the toll of battle finally showing. Corra launched herself into the air and came back down quickly, her blade pointed straight for the woman. Zalanda stumbled back, but not far enough for Corra to miss, gouging her abdomen.

Zalanda stumbled more, blood pouring out of her, but refused to give up. Her rage filled eyes fixed on them. Small black balls bounced passed her towards the paladins, smoke coming from them. They backed up, unsure of what to make of the objects and then covered their face when the smoke increased and surrounded them.

“Come, Zalanda,” a new voice said through the smoke screen.

“I will fight to my last breath!” she shouted.

“You may believe in that, but I will not lose you. You will learn from this defeat, grow stronger, and come back with a vengeance, and I shall help you, my love.”

“Very well, Kel’esh. Call what’s left of the men back. We got what we came for anyway.”

The smoke screen faded and the enemy was gone. Corra, infuriated, ran off in search for them, but Xandar stopped the others from doing the same. “Leave her. She’s too stubborn to reason with right now. We need to help the survivors and put out these fires. Galinndan, Ayen, go into the buildings and pull out those you can find. Slay any remaining raiders that may be hiding in the shadows. Orsik and I will work with the able-bodied townsfolk to get these fires under control.”

Ayen and Galinndan nodded and ran into the closest building. They found no one inside and quickly moved on. This one was partially collapsed with two living survivors. They pulled them out before retrieving the dead for the living to mourn, and moved onto the tavern. There they found many locked in the wine cellar, as well as many hiding in rooms on the second floor. It took some time, and Corra’s help when she finally returned after her pointless search, but they managed to get them all out.

“But my daughter!” the last woman they saved screamed as Corra carried her out of the building, her leg broken from the assault she endured. “She’s still in there.”

“You’re the last one in there,” Corra assured. “We checked. She had to have gotten out before we came.”

“No, Oraila was in the kitchen when they came,” the woman insisted. “I told her to hide and then they took me with the others.”

“I’ll go back and check,” Galinndan said, spinning on his heels.

“Gal, no!” Corra shouted.

He ignored her. The young woman could be in the building. He wouldn’t take the chance and risk killing her.

Galinndan pushed his way back inside the building. Support beams above him creaked. Ayen appeared next to him and called out once the made it to the partially collapsed kitchen. “Is anyone in here?”

No response.

“Is there anyone in here?”

Support beams crashed to the ground and part of the inn collapsed. “There’s no one else in here. We need to get out of here.”

Galinndan shook his head. “No. We were told there was one missing woman, we cannot leave until she’s found.”

“This place is about to collapse,” Ayen argued. “She’s either dead or not in here. We need to leave.”

Galinndan pushed farther into the kitchen. “Then you leave. I would rather die trying to find her, than abandon all hope.”

“Galinndan, wait!”

Another support beam cracked in half and fell. A feminine whimper crossed Galinndan’s ears.

“Wait, did you hear that?” Galinndan asked.

“Help me,” the voice rasped.

He pinpointed the source and gestured. “Over there!”

The two of them rushed over to a part of the kitchen than had collapsed and pulled several flaming beams away. Beneath, they found a young woman, burned and barely conscious. “Don’t worry, ma’am, I’ve got you,” Galinndan said, reaching for her. “We’ll get you out of here, don’t you worry.”

The woman’s eyes fluttered and her mouth parted to speak, but the support beam for the building above them broke and a scream was the only thing to come out of her mouth. Galinndan threw up his shield to protect them, and then things went dark for the two of them.

“Galinndan!” Ayen yelled.

Galinndan held the woman close as he barely kept them alive under his shield. “Move the damn wood, Ayen.”

He could hear the creaking of wood and finally the pressure lifted. Galinndan lowered his shield to find Ayen’s worried face. “You should look in a mirror, you look ridiculous.”

Ayen glowered at him and then reached for the woman. “I’m just concerned about her, that’s all.”

“Oh, I see how it is,” he said as he handed the woman over to him.

Ayen cradled her in his arms and they both left the building. Minutes later, it collapsed. Corra looked at them, her eyes wide, but the girl’s mother cried hysterically, relieved her daughter had been found.

Hours passed as everyone worked to save who they could and kill the fires. Nothing was left of the village by the time the fires were quenched. There were far more dead than living, and those left alive would be traumatized for the rest of their lives. Orsik used all of his energy healing those he could, as did Xandar. Unfortunately they were the only ones who knew how, effectively at least. Corra hadn’t specialized in such abilities, Ayen knew very little and used what he could, and Galinndan himself knew none.

Xandar approach Galinndan as he rested in the shade of a tree. “The three of us have chosen to stay and help these people.”

Orsik popped out from behind Xandar. “They be needin’ me here too, sae I be stayin’ as well.”

Galinndan nodded. “I’m not going to be much use to them, and I still a strong pull to continue west.”

“Rest until morning,” Xandar encouraged. “Then we’ll see you off.”

Galinndan stretched and yawned. “I like that plan.”

Xandar and Orsik chuckled and left him be. He deserved it after the work he had done today.