Deep inside the Tower on Liros, five figures stood in a rough arc facing two tunnel openings. They were surrounded by a handful of floating orbs that emitted a gentle yellow glow. The air around the group was thick with tension and none of the figures moved or dared make a sound. Their eyes were solely fixed on the two dark voids of the tunnels. They were waiting for something.
The man that stood in the middle of the group was captain Alistair Fortis, gold ranked frontiersman and veteran warrior of the Natus Vincere guild. Fortis was charged to lead one of the scouting parties ahead of the main army that was slowly pushing their way through the uncharted regions of the Tower. There were seven of them when they left three days ago.
A few minutes pass and the captain grunted with frustration and turned to face the group. His tall strongly built figure covered from head to toe with plated steel glimmered in the low light.
“Right. That’s enough waiting. We’re heading back to the main line.” Fortis said in his commanding voice.
“Just wait a little while longer captain. They might be just delayed.” said a soft voice on his far left.
Captain Fortis looked at the speaker with impatience. The man was a head shorter than him, slender in figure with a heart-shaped face that was further emphasized by a widow’s peak of his long black hair. He wore a robe of green and blue and clutched a quarterstaff with both hands.
“They said to wait half an hour, Nestor. A full hour has passed, now we go back.” Fortis replied with agitation to the mage. Fortis was never fond of the man. Like most people, the captain did not like Efrans.
Nestor moved to reply but was cut short by a piercing stare from the captain.
“Very well then. We go back.” The Efran mage said, resigned.
The party of five prepared to leave. It appears that their two scouts were never coming back. Without them, the party will be walking blind if they explore any further. They have no choice but to turn back. But before they could enter the tunnel they came from, two figures emerged from the shadows of the one they were guarding.
One was a man; tall and slender but well-built with a plain-looking face and a head full of long curling hair. The other was a woman, a full head shorter than the man beside her but similarly built. She had a small pointed face, almond-shaped eyes and short raven black hair that was tied with a ribbon at the back. Both were fully clad in green and brown light leather armor.
“Felix old friend! Good to see you’re not dead,” exclaimed Nestor jokingly, pulling the man into an embrace.
“Took a little longer than we thought, but we made it back in one piece,” said Felix with a smile.
“Are you alright, Kaya? What happened? What kept you guys?” Collin the ranger asked the woman, taking both her hands into her own.
“We’re fine,” Kaya replied with a sigh. “The tunnel was longer than we expected. And we ran into some trouble along the way.”
“What sort of trouble?” Inquired captain Fortis with concern. The captain was fond of the scout woman. She was the only reason he let the party wait a full hour for them instead of the agreed-upon half. Kaya was a skilled scout; quick of wit, as brave as they come and had the face and body of a nymph. Not to mention she’s a gold rank adventurer like him. She could have any man she wanted frankly. Which made Alistair wonder why such a woman would be with someone like Felix Elrick; silver ranked scout and as unremarkable looking as men can get.
As if reading the captain’s mind, Felix unslung a bag attached to his belt and dumped the contents in front of the group in response to his question. What fell out was a creature’s head with its mouth agape.
“What in the nine hells is that?” exclaimed Ezekiel the rear guard.
“That’s a strages.” Answered Collin with a gasp.
Strages! Captain Fortis thought in alarm. It’s been a while since he’s seen one but his memory of fighting the creatures was all too vivid. Strages are batlike creatures the size of a full-grown man. They walk on powerful hind legs and posses scythe-like claws on both arms. Their mouths are filled with jagged teeth with four pronounced canines. Their name in the old tongue meant bloodbath.
“How many? Were you followed?” asked Fortis with urgency.
“We took care of it,” Felix replied flatly.
Fortis looked at him and back at Kaya and for the first time took in the full appearance of the pair. Both were practically covered in blood and gore. Dark red stains soaked in their leathers and pieces of flesh here and there. The captain’s blood ran cold.
“Were any of you bit?” Asked Fortis with ice in his voice, his right hand going for the handle of his war hammer. Strages venom does not kill but infects. It drives the bitten mad for flesh and blood within the hour of infection. There is no antidote.
“No.” replied Felix with equal seriousness.
“What’s with all the red blood then?” the captain asked nodding his head to both the scout’s clothing. “Strages bleed white unless they were feeding.”
Tension filled the air. Collin and Nestor backed off a few feet from the scouts.
“They were,” replied Felix, tossing something toward the captain’s feet where it landed with a clinking sound.
Fortis looked down and saw a bundle of golden and platinum badges covered with blood. Six in total. These were adventurer badges. Fortis understood what this meant; a scouting party had fallen.
“Barbo’s group,” answered Felix before Fortis could ask his question. “We were too late when we got there. They were all dead. The only reason we stood a chance against those things was that they were too full.”
Alistair was stunned. The now late captain Anton Barbo was a platinum ranked frontiersman. If Barbo’s men were slaughtered, what chance would his party have against the dangers ahead?
“Did you find Teresa? . . .A priestess with red hair? She was with Barbo’s party. She’s. . . she’s an old friend of mine.” stammered Thaddeus the priest.
The two scouts exchanged a look.
“We need to show you something,” Kaya said to the party in general.
“What is it?” Fortis replied looking up at her, hoping that his momentary lack of composure did not show on his face.
“I think you need to see it for yourselves.”
Fortis contemplated the situation; going forward would mean facing dangers that killed more skilled adventurers than they are, turning back however would signify failure and the deaths of Barbo and his men will be in vain. He looked up at Kaya and regarded her for a moment.
If this woman is brave enough to do it, then so can I. he thought to himself. After all, he did not want to look a coward in front of her.
“Show us the way, then.”
Monsters! The captain thought These scouts are monsters!
The party walked through the carnage as they were lead by Felix and Kaya into a large cavernous room. Strages corpses were strewn everywhere in different states of butchery. Nine in total. The entire group was in shock. How can two scouts take down creatures that killed a whole party of seasoned veterans on their own?
“How the fuck did you two manage to do all this, lad?” asked the stocky warrior Ezekiel, hopping over one of the carcasses.
“Picking them off was easy enough. . . As we said, they were too full,” replied Felix.
Kaya elbowed her husband in the ribs, scolding him for his insensitivity.
”Impressive as usual, Kaya.” Collin said with awe.
The scout only nodded her thanks to the ranger.
Impressive indeed. thought Fortis. The couple has always exceeded expectations. Ever since they joined Natus Vincere, their guild’s notoriety skyrocketed, mainly due to scouting missions. The pair was well known for delving deeper inside the Tower more than anyone and coming back alive with valuable intel. In fact, they were responsible for finding the gate guardian rooms for Jarla and Kratos.
“I don’t see Teresa here,” said Thad in a small voice, looking at the piles of flesh, bones, and armor that were once captain Barbo’s party. “Her clothing I mean. . .She always wore dark blue robes.” Thad continued, his voice becoming stronger.
“Quiet,” Kaya warned the priest. She nodded her head toward the back of the cavernous room where it was covered in shadow. The party followed carefully not to make a sound. They were surprised to see that there was a large side passage at the end hidden in darkness.
“Kill the lights, Thad. . . Stick close to us and stay low,” whispered Felix. The scout walked into the hidden passageway, Thaddeus dispelled the glowing orbs with a wave of his hand and the group followed. One by one they were swallowed by the darkness.
Fifty yards ahead of the pitch-black passageway was a dim light of an opening. As it got closer and closer, Fortis could see more details; gray stone, green grass and a big tree. The tunnel led to a small field completely encased in stone granite walls where glowing crystals were scattered everywhere giving off the illusion of perpetual dusk. Such fields were a common anomaly in the Tower. Sometimes vast grasslands, frozen tundras or even deserts can be found inside. None of the present great minds of humanity could explain how such wonders could be within the massive structure. They are simply there, existing.
Felix held his right hand up in a fist as they near the exit, signaling the column to halt. He beckoned the captain to his side and pointed down the far end of the small meadow. At first, Fortis could not make out what the scout wanted him to see. All he saw was a stone wall about a hundred yards ahead. But slowly his eyes adjusted to the low light. Fine details came to view and there it was; a door. It was massive, gray just like the walls but bordered with a darker stone that could be mistaken for shadows from afar. Fortis knew that this was no ordinary door. This was a Guardian’s gate. Excitement filled the captain. He would surely get a promotion for this, maybe even an advancement in rank.
“Excellent work you two.” Fortis told the scouts, “We head back for the main line as fast as we can. We’ll take all the glory from this.”
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“The door wasn’t the only thing we needed to show you,” said Kaya. The scout pointed to a cluster of boulders to the far left. Against the grey rocks was a splash of blue and red.
“Teresa!” the priest exclaimed, his voice echoing in the tunnels behind them. Kaya immediately put her hand up Thaddeus’ mouth.
“Calm down, Thad. Look closer before you get too excited,” warned Felix.
Fortis scanned the field to see what he was referring to, a tightness gripped his throat. Under the shade of the only tree in the field was an assortment of large misshapen human-like figures.
“Orcs.” Fortis muttered.
“We have to save her,” Thad said quietly to the captain, pulling Kaya’s hand away from his mouth.
“We can’t. Not on our own.” said the captain “We go back and return with reinforcements.”
“She could be dead by then. We go after her. . . Now.” Thaddeus protested. The outrage was palpable in his voice.
Fortis glared at the defiant priest, meeting him eye to eye. “We fall back. That is an order, Thaddeus,” he said through gritted teeth.
Still holding his gaze, the priest stepped closer, almost face to face. “Either we save her now, or you go back without me.”
The captain had never seen the priest like this before. Thaddeus had always been a soft-spoken man; quiet and easy to laugh. This man before him, staring him down, was a complete stranger. Fortis knew the argument was lost. Going through the Tower’s tunnels without a healer was essentially a death sentence. He broke eye contact and looked toward the field and sighed heavily.
“Fine. . . We attempt a rescue.” he proclaimed to the party.
Thaddeus’s posture relaxed slightly in relief. Fortis laid a hand on the priest’s shoulder and pulled him close.
“When we get back to camp, . .if we get back, I will make sure you are expelled from the guild for insubordination,” he whispered with malice. Thaddeus did not seem to care. He only nodded and shrugged his hand off.
“There are seven orcs in total,” announced Kaya to the now huddled group. “Six under the tree, and another one circling their perimeter. Luckily for us, it looks like they haven’t seen Teresa yet.”
“And who knows how long that will last. We need to attack. . . Right now.” Thaddeus demanded.
“Calm down, Thad,” said Felix. “We can’t take those things head-on. . . We only need a distraction, not a plan of attack.”
“What’s your proposal then?” asked Fortis.
“Well, Felix and I could take out the patrol. . . After that, the rest of you could go to their flank and get their attention while we rescue Teresa.”
“Without you two we’ll be outnumbered six to five. . . Not a fan of those odds. Especially against orcs.” Collin commented.
“We don’t have to fight them for long, my dear.” countered Nestor. “We can just slow them down from a distance . . . and if they ever get close, the captain and Ezekiel here are more than enough for a handful of orcs weakened by curses and riddled with arrows.”
The ranger seemed appeased by this argument and nodded her approval.
“I want to go with Kaya and Felix,” said Thaddeus.
“No. . . You stick with us. We are the ones in danger.” said Fortis, his anger rising up again.
The audacity of this man! Not only forcing us to face unnecessary dangers but suggesting to put us further in harm’s way by wanting to play hero! the captain thought.
“If she’s hurt badly, she will need healing.” reasoned the priest.
Fortis wanted to throttle the man when Kaya placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.
“He’s right. It looks like Teresa needs his help. Let him come with us. We’ll be quick, . . I promise.” she said with a motherly tone. Her touch calmed him down.
“Fine. . . You go with Kaya and Felix. . . Ezekiel; you stick close to me. Collin and Nestor; stay behind us and ready any tricks you have for keeping distance.” the captain said with authority in his voice once again.
The orc sentry lumbered in a slow circle around the field, passing by the opening of the tunnel where Fortis’ party was. The scouts were laying in wait at the tunnel exit with eyes fleeting between the group of orcs under the tree and the one guarding the perimeter, waiting for an opening. The tension in the air was tangible. Fortis gripped his Warhammer and shield tighter, trying to settle the nerves he always felt before every battle.
Then in one split second, the two scouts were gone. By the time the captain spotted them they were almost behind the sentry. The green and brown of their leather armor was nothing but a blur thirty yards away. The orc lookout fell backward as Kaya slid and crashed into the back of its knees. Felix was right behind her and launched himself forward at the falling orc’s back, covering the mouth and plunging his dagger in the creature’s throat to silence it. Kaya rolled on one knee and slid her dagger between its ribs, straight into the heart for good measure. The orc’s arms flailed for a second and stiffened as Kaya’s blade entered. After which it lay still and was dragged into a nearby bush.
The couple had timed everything, Fortis realized. From the orcs looking away at the same time to the distance between them and the sentry and even down to the location of the bush to hide the body.
Amazing. Thought the captain.
Kaya signaled Thaddeus to move to their location. The priest ran with astonishing speed for a man of his build, propelled by the blessing he cast upon himself; God Speed.
Fortis and his group were similarly blessed beforehand making them feel light as a feather and yet unhindered by air, though the effects were overly brief. When the priest reached the bush where the scouts were hidden, the rest of the party rushed toward the far right of the field. They reached their destination even before one of the orcs noticed their movement.
An uproar came from beneath the large tree. The orcs were clamoring for their weapons, barking at each other in a strange guttural language. Fortis saw the two scouts and the priest heading for the boulders. Ezekiel postured beside him shield and axe in hand and the captain nodded to Nestor and Collin to begin their assault.
A hail of arrows barraged the charging orcs. Most of them halted, staggered by the incoming missiles, but two continued to rush toward them. Fortis readied himself.
“Collin, . . Nestor! Focus the one on the right!. . . Ezekiel, with me!” the captain commanded.
The two warriors ran to meet their foe. Before they reached their target, the orc to their far-right was engulfed in flame and bombarded by a flurry of arrows, bringing the creature screaming on its knees.
One down. Thought the captain.
The orc before them now roared with fury at its fallen companion, swinging around a two-handed club the size of a full-grown tree. The first blow was easily evaded; straight down and sloppy. Fortis swung his hammer toward the orc’s head. It connected with a solid thud at the jaw that sent vibrations down his arm. It had little to no effect.
Ezekiel aimed a blow to the creature’s forearms instead, burying his axe deep into tough skin and muscle, stopping at the bone. The orc howled with pain and swung its club toward the axe wielding warrior who caught the blow with his shield, staggering him backward. It then wiped the club sideways to sideswipe Fortis but the captain rolled underneath the blow, stopped squarely on his stance and swung with all his might at the creature’s left knee. The knee shattered on impact; flesh, cartilage and bone erupting from the knee cap, forcing the orc to kneel.
“Rahhhh!” roared Ezekiel, throwing his shield aside to grip his axe with both hands to deliver a devastating strike that buried itself deep at the orc’s neck. Their adversary fell face down with the axe still lodged on its head, wrenching it from Ezekiel’s hands.
And that makes two.
Ezekiel laughed a great big “Ha!” toward the captain, savoring his first kill of the battle. But before he could retrieve his weapon, a spear shaft sprouted on his belly, hurling Ezekiel backward.
Fortis immediately raised his shield to cover himself and rushed toward his injured comrade.
“Collin! Covering fire! . . . Nestor! Barrier! Now!”
The ranger started toward them with bow drawn followed by the mage. But before they could go a few steps, another spear buried itself near Collin’s feet. Nestor, thinking fast, invoked a barrier on himself and stood in front of the ranger, catching the next spear but sending him toppling backward over Collin. Fortis cursed loudly and peered over his shield at their remaining orcs.
He saw two monstrous figures still advancing on them and one farther back near the tree, poised to hurl another spear. Ezekiel was loudly cursing his misfortune at the captain’s feet with blood and excrement gushing from his wound.
“We need the healer! . . Where in the nine hells is Thaddeus!?” Fortis roared, scanning the field for the rest of his party, desperate for reinforcement. Then as if time slowed down, the captain saw something horrifying.
Thaddeus was atop the tallest rock, cradling a woman in dark blue robes. The woman reached up toward the priest’s collar with hands covered in blood and pulled him downwards, sinking her teeth at man’s neck. Her skin was pale gray and streaked with blue veins. Her eyes were mad red with strages venom.
Then it all made sense; the small group of orcs in such a strange place.
They weren’t guarding the gate, they were trapped here. Just like we are now.
Why the orcs posted a patrol;
They were afraid of something, something that could overpower them if they were caught unaware.
And now the captain noticed all along the tall granite walls were a number of large openings similar to the one they came from. Openings that lead to a chamber filled with bloodthirsty strages. His frustration turning into sheer terror as he saw the first of the vampiric beasts crawling out of the holes.
“Captain!” Collin shouted, bringing Fortis out of his realization. Before he was able to do anything, a blow collided with his shield and launched Fortis in an arc over Ezekiel’s barely moving form. He landed violently on his back. Two orcs towered over him, both about to swing their clubs down. By sheer instinct, the captain invoked the ability that made him one of the most renowned front linemen in their guild. The ability that multiplied his defenses and turns him a human bulwark; Bellator’s Guard.
The ability which he now used to cower under. The orcs’ strikes hit him again and again, beating him into the ground, sending vibrations through his body and making his ears ring. He could not move. His mind was blank.
We are lost. The captain thought.
The blows halted suddenly. Looking up, he saw one of his attackers pull an arrow from its eye. Collin was sending arrow after arrow at the orc’s head only a few feet away.
“No Collin! . . .Run . . .Run!” he tried to shout, but his voice was weak and barely audible through the ringing in his ears.
The ranger went to pull another arrow only to find her quiver empty. Before she could go for her dagger, the orc seized her by the arm and lifted her bodily off the ground.
“Nestor! Help her! . . Nestor!” cried Fortis in a panic getting up to his feet clumsily and frantically searching for the mage, only to see a retreating figure in green and blue robes running toward the tunnel from whence they came.
“Alistair! Help!” shrieked Collin. The sound of his first name made him turn. Fortis saw Collin struggling with her captor. Collin; who had been a loyal comrade. Collin; who had always followed him in the deepest parts of the Tower. Collin; who now screamed desperately for him to save her. He was numb. He could not move, paralyzed with fear. All the captain could do was to stand still with shield and hammer at his side, watching his friend hanging by the arm while the orc grabbed her legs and pulled.
Collin’s torso stretch. Her mouth opens wide in a scream of agony Fortis could not hear. Her eyes filled with tears and terror. Then her body became two, both parts going limp as they fell to the ground like pieces of a broken toy as the monster released her remains. The other orc stared down at Fortis. It’s black demonic eyes boring into his own and raised its club. The captain felt his bottom half become warm as he wet himself, urine running down his legs.
Before the club could fall, the once brave and noble captain Alistair Fortis, gold ranked adventurer of the renowned Natus Vincere, ran for his life in fear.
I failed. Fortis thought. Ezekiel; dying. . . Thaddeus; dead. . . Collin; gone. I want to live! Nine hells, . . I want to live!
He looked back to see if the orcs were in pursuit, but to his surprise, they were running in the opposite direction A pack of strages on their tail. An incredulous laugh of relief escaped the captain’s mouth. He could not believe it. Had fate deemed it worthy that he may yet live? Has lady luck smiled upon him and gave him another chance?
The tunnel exit was just a few yards ahead of him but before he could take another step closer, something heavy landed on his back and sent Fortis crashing forward on his face. Dazed and confused, he crawled toward the tunnels.
I want to live!
Something was tugging hard at his foot. He felt his right boot come off and then a wet and hot piercing sensation filled his exposed leg.
I want to live!
He could not crawl further, something was holding him in place. Something very strong.
I want to fucking live!
Suddenly the thing that was holding him down vanished. He felt the heavy weight lift from his back.
“Captain! . . .Captain Fortis!” a familiar voice said. A familiar lovely voice.
He rolled onto his back to look up and saw the face of a woman with raven black hair and almond-shaped eyes.
An angel. Sent to save me. Fotis thought in a daze. The scorching pain in his leg was creeping its way upward to his body.
“Kaya, leave him. . . He’s been bitten.” the captain heard a man’s voice say off in the distance.
The woman’s face wrinkled with frustration and pity. Such a beautiful face.
“I want to live,” Fortis whispered weakly to the angel. Those kind deep gray eyes fixed on his own.
“Don’t worry captain. Everything will be alright.” Kaya said with a comforting smile. Fortis smiled at her words, feeling relief.
I’m saved. he thought with such gratitude. He didn’t even feel her knife enter his heart.