Footsteps sounded from the stairs, causing the hunter to tense. He hid the metal shield, but realized that both his hands were covered in ash. Indres rushed to the wardrobe and started rubbing the palms of one of the shirts there.
"Ranger Riggi, is something wrong?" Indres heard the voice of the Lights guard behind him.
"No, I'm looking for more clothes to use for wrapping." He responded, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Aren't you curious what your companion found downstairs?" The voice and footsteps sounded closer.
Hiding his palms under shirt and other clothes, Indres turned around.
In the twilight, the face of the elder Temple guard was darker than usual. The eyes no longer seemed violet, but rather black. The hunter could not read any emotion on the other man's face.
"I'm interested, but I don't think I could help..." he replied, knowing that it's not very convincing.
Endrea Baern did not answer, just continued to watch the Indres. Then he shifted his view to the room, finally to the fireplace, in front of which there were more ashes on the floor than before.
Damn, I should have been more careful! Indres could only curse himself.
The eyes of the temple guard turned back to the hunter, but now the gaze was different. Not only cold, but also menacing. In addition, the man's hand moved to the hilt of his sword.
Indres felt the urge to grab his dagger by the belt. He wasn't as skilled in close combat as he was with a bow, but he wasn't an amateur either. The hunter, however, reined in his instincts, though he felt his brow sweat.
"Were you looking for something there?" Fortunately, Baern decided to continue the conversation.
His hand remained on the sword’s hilt.
Indres decided there was no point in playing the fool and handed the metal shield to the other man.
Unfortunately, this only seemed to anger the Lights guard.
"Explain yourself!" he ordered quietly, grabbing the object.
"I don't know what to explain. It's not my name on that shield, ser" Indres decided not to let himself be intimidated.
"You can read old writing?" Baern's cheek seemed to twitch slightly.
"My wife is learned and knows the ancient illarit as well."
The temple guard drew in a deep breath and then sighed.
"And yet... why did you do it? For what purpose?" came the next question.
Indres decided that the conversation was better to the alternative.
"Like the others, I thought at first that it was luck... or guidance from Heavens when we met. We searched for over a week for someone who could help defeat the curse, but any mages or wise ones who were willing to talk began to doubt their abilities when I told them about the wraith. When we were ready to give up, a noble Endrea Baern, an experienced guard of the Light with his two weapon bearers, came to us himself. He offered to help us defeat the curse even without a formal application to the Temple and without payment, only asking for the right to destroy anything related to black magic."
Baern remained silent, so Indres continued talking.
"But after the battle, I had the impression that your aim was to hide something. Some of your words were also odd... My companions were looking for treasure, but I thought it strange that the Temple guards didn't care who exactly this mage and necromancer was. Besides, it was clear that the occupant of the tower had tried to hide his evil deeds underground under a hidden door. There would be no evidence of black magic in the guestroom, or bedroom, only of his identity."
Indres fell silent and waited to see what Baern's reaction would be. He could hear voices from below, but knew it was not much comfort. No doubt, the two youngest Temple guardians would be on their master's side. If he decides he doesn't want to leave witnesses...
"I have no intention of telling anyone." Indres added.
"Then why are you sticking your nose into this matter in the first place? Pure curiosity? I don't believe it!" The Lights guard clenched his fist tighter around the hilt of his weapon.
Indres saw no other option, he decided to tell the last secret too.
"I was the one who found this tower. I... saw it in a dream." The hunter confessed quietly.
"In a dream?" Baern seemed clearly surprised.
"Yes, sir. About a month ago. I... didn't know... if it was real, but I had a feeling it was more than just a simple dream, so I led my comrades in that direction... and here it was. I had no idea about the curse, the undead and the wraith."
"A month ago... when was that exactly?" The Lights guard asked an unexpected question.
As far as Indres could tell, other man did not doubt what hunter had said.
"I think - the last one was on the 10th day of the month,, sir." he was a little confused by this.
" 10th...Two weeks before my brother." Baern muttered something quietly to himself.
He seemed lost in thought and took his chin in his hand. Though the Temple guard’s other hand's grip was still on the hilt of his sword, it seemed more relaxed than before.
"Ser?" Indres asked.
Baern's eyes focused on the hunter again, but this time they seemed different, thoughtful. He looked like he was considering something, then made a decision.
"On the 25th, my elder brother, the head of the Baern house, saw a dream at his residence in the capital. He saw a tower in a forest in the north, in lands that our family lost long ago. In the dream, he also received an instruction to help those seeking aid to free the tower from the curse. He immediately contacted me, requesting me to go fast as I can to this province and... solve this problem. He believed that this dream was guidance from the Holy ones, which I was not sure of, but... the honor of our family was at stake. I had no choice but to come here."
Now it was Indres' turn to wonder.
On the 25th they left the village to seek help in the city.
"Did... your brother mention any other details about this dream?" he asked.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"I did not speak to him in person, only through letters. I got the impression that Jakov not only saw things in the dream, but someone spoke to him. My brother was reluctant to say more about that."
Indres felt his forehead sweat again, but for a different reason than the first time.
"There was a person in my dream too. A woman who... " He was silent because he didn't know how to talk about it.
A sharp whistle came from outside, interrupting the conversation. It was followed by two more, but shorter. Indres recognized the signal.
"It's Erwan! Monster attack!" he exclaimed.
"To Abyss!" Baern cursed and rushed down.
Indres followed him. On the fourth floor, they called the other four men, who were still trying to find the fictional secret chamber in one of the walls. There was no time to put on all their armor, they only took their weapons and helmets and then rushed out of the tower.
Indres heard the whistles again, this time more frantic. In the twilight, several dark figures could be seen running among the trees, near place where Erwan was looking after the cattle. The roars of predators could also be heard. The Indres now regretted their decision not to move the animals closer to the tower, but they did not want to feed the beasts on grass with spawn remains nearby.
The clearing brightened; Baern had raised his staff and summoned a bright light. The attackers became clearer; they resembled black wolves, but with longer, thinner bodies and unnatural proportions. Some even showed horns on their foreheads.
Spawns! Indres immediately recognized the scourge he had so often battled in the forest. After reaching the appropriate distance, the hunter stopped and began shooting arrows at the monsters. He left the melee to the Temple Guards and Ascar.
Fortunately, the monsters, instead of attacking Erwan and the cattle, had merely surrounded them and retreated in the face of the human attack. Indres saw the other hunter meet Ascar, who untied the anxious cattle and led them towards the clearing, while the two Temple guards covered them. The Spawn continued to run along the trees, bellowing furiously but afraid to attack directly. Seeing this, the Temple guards went on the offensive, chasing the monsters away, while Erwan supported them with arrows.
It's almost like that time... Indres remembered the attack on the village, seeing the Temple Guards and his companion start to go deeper into the forest, lured by the monsters.
Further away from the tower.
He looked back and saw that Vern was also limping across the clearing towards the forest to help. Only one young Temple guard, Pival, was left to guard the entrance.
"Damn! Curse on me!" Indres lowered his war bow.
The Spawns were mindless, like predatory animals. No one expected deceits and trickery from these monsters. Indres, despite his previous experience, also treated them as usual.
"Ascar! It's a trap! They will attack the tower!" the hunter shouted to the gatekeeper, who stopped in confusion, holding a cattle leash in his hand.
Wasting no time, Indres turned around and rushed back.
"They will attack the tower! Run back!" he also shouted to the magic acolyte.
"Uh?" Unfortunately, it didn't seem like Vern would be so quick on the uptake.
"Back to the tower!" Indres shouted, running past the limp man.
Before he reached the tower, several dark figures appeared along the corners, apparently crossing the clearing on the other side, in the cover of the building. A couple of monsters tried to make their way up the stairs, where the Temple guard stood, spear in hand, while others began to run towards Indres. The hunter was forced to stop, draw his bow and shoot arrows. Two of the spawns fell to the ground while the others began circling around, trying to get behind the man. Indres did not want to get into a fight in a clearing where he had no advantage. He concentrated the spirit power in his legs and made two mighty leaps forward to reach the stairs.
Pival, meanwhile, had dealt with the monsters trying to get in and was standing in the stairwell.
"Ranger! I think... I heard a noise inside!" a young Temple guard yelled.
This too was a distraction, Indres was now beginning to recognize the enemy's tactics.
The other wolf-like monsters approached the stairs. Roars could still be heard from the direction of the forest, indicating that the battle continued there as well.
"Stay here! Don't let them get in! I'll check!" Indres retorted, leaping over the spawns' corpses.
The temple guard nodded as the hunter passed him and peered inside. The entrance/servant’s chamber was sinking into darkness, but Indres did not call out for light. He would have to keep his hand raised, preventing him from using his bow immediately, and it might also alert his opponent. Fortunately, the night had not yet fully begun, so the twilight light was sufficient for the hunter's trained eye.
This room was empty, so Indres went deeper. Outside, the roars of the monsters grew louder, and he could hear the battle cries of the young Temple guard. It disturbed the hunter to listen to the noises inside the tower.
Up, or down? Indres tried to figure out the next course of action.
If anyone was in the tower, they could only get in through the windows. The upper floors would be logical. But the hunter's gaze was drawn downwards by the open hatch. He couldn't remember if it had been open when everyone rushed out to help Erwan.
Indres cautiously stepped closer to the hatch and peered down into the darkness. He heard nothing, but noticed something else - deep scratches, no, cuts in the wooden door of the hatch. The hunter remembered clearly that there had been none before. But the scratches also reminded him of something - Indres had found similar ones on the manhole cover above his cellar. His fingers tightened around the grip of the bow, remembering what his wife had told him.
Calm, don't lose your balance! Concentrate! The hunter reminded himself.
He knelt, aiming the arrow into the black hole, ready to draw the bowstring at a moment's notice. There were no windows on the ground floor or in the basement, the only exit was this hatch. Indres could have stayed here and waited for the enemy to approach. Perhaps by then the others would rush to help.
For a moment, the only noise was the sounds of battle from outside. Then Indres heard a roar behind him, which was startling. Looking back, he realized it was coming from outside, from the window. The hunter moved so that he could keep his eyes on both the hatch and the window at the same time. The misfortune being that his new position did not allow him to see the lower floor so well. At the same time, Indres heard muffled noises coming from below, like someone moving, someone with claws scrabbling along the stone.
Come on, freak! Show me your head and I'll split it! Indres gnashed his teeth.
If this really was the same spawn that killed his dog and made suffer his family...
"Indres! It's attacking through the floor! Go back!" Hunter suddenly heard Erwan's voice beside him.
There was no time to think how this was possible, instinct urged the man to obey his companion and jump back.
*KRAH!*
The floor beneath him suddenly caved in, or rather was pierced by sharp, hooked blades.
Indres was still in the air when his lower back hit something - a table in the middle of the room. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, as did several gauntlets that had been left on the table. Meanwhile, something large and black appeared in the gaping hole. Indres tried to regain his position to shoot the bow.
"No! Run! You can't defeat it!" Once again, Indres heard Erwan's voice beside him.
What's going on here!? It only added to the hunter's confusion.
A large creature had emerged from the hole, its eyes howling like red coals and claws dig in wooden floor like a butter. Although the shape of the monster could not be clearly made out in the semi-darkness, Indres had the impression of a huge, frightening bat.
It is that one!
He thought nothing of running away and raised his bow.
Unfortunately, the monster was faster, its claws reaching the bow before the bowstring was released. The arrow's path was deflected sideways, away from the center of the black mass.
SHREEEEKH!
A feathery, deafening scream followed, then something metallic hit the floor, falling from the monster's mouth. Indres thought that maybe the bat-like creature had been injured after all.
But alas, not seriously enough.
The monster pressed the bow to the ground with one paw, preventing Indres from firing another arrow, then raised the other paw in the air with claws ready to strike.
The man's hand reached for the dagger, but he knew he wouldn't make it...
SHREEEEEEEEEEKH!
There was another horrific scream, louder and more unpleasant than the first one. But it didn't seem to be coming from a monster, but from something closer. The air between the hunter and the giant bat had begun to swirl, like steam over boiling water, it vibrated in unison with the cutting sound.
The monster snatched the metal disc from the ground in its teeth and threw itself towards the window. When Indres found himself raising his bow and aiming again, the black shadow had disappeared from view. The man could see only the treetops and the twilight sky.
Indres got to his feet without letting the window out of his view. His back hurt from the collision with the table, but the gambeson cushioned most of the impact. His ears were ringing after the last horrific noise, not allowing him to hear clearly what was happening around him, nor to figure out what to do next.
After a moment, Pival rushed inside.
"The monsters are retreating! Ranger, what happened here?"
Indres shook his head, he didn't know what to say. No, one thing the hunter did know.
"They got what they wanted..." he muttered softly.
The metal disc that the monster had taken into its mouth was from a stone tablet in the Shrine of Death. An artifact of black magic. Whatever it was, the cunning enemy had taken it.
***