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Untitled Document
Zana Taru tucked the glass case holding the Flower of Trinifucus
under her arm. No fear tinged her thoughts; she was ready to help the Krawks who
had become her friends.
"Have you ever before used the bow?" asked Tasho
the yellow Krawk as he watched Zana struggle with even keeping the large bow
held right.
"Actually," she admitted with some embarrassment.
"I never have. Is it very hard."
"For some, yes, but once you get used to the
feel of the bow in your hands you can hit almost anything you need to hit. You
see…" But he didn't get to finish, for Haothen cried out.
"We will be within hearing distance soon, so
there will be no loud noises, or else Heshrou's plan will go all to fail. Ready!"
and in response, all the creatures stomped their bow to the ground in one motion
creating a loud crashing sound. "Let's go!" and the march began once again.
Soon they reached an enclosure of trees that
served as a good place to go from. Zana watched in disgust as Jown's men ran
about plundering all they could find. "Prepare yourselves," Haothen said to
each archer. "We will hear the call soon."
Tasho looked at Zana as she attempted to fit
an arrow to her bowstring. "Wrong, wrong. You are doing it the wrong way. It
is like this." And he put his hands over hers, and showed her how to correctly
fit the arrow to the string. "Now hold tight, and don't let go until the signal
is heard." And then Tasho fit his bow with a lot less struggle, and with the
look of experience.
A loud horn suddenly blew out, long and deep,
one that would strike fear into the hearts of enemies, and as soon as it was
heard, Haothen cried. "Archers, FIRE!!!" Many arrows filled the air, and fell
into the ranks of the assaulters, and then even more did as the archers quickly
reloaded, and fired once more.
"I hit one!" Zana cried, as she saw a Kougra
stumble, but she groaned as he got back up quickly.
"Watch the armor, your arrows cannot penetrate
it!" another Krawk yelled out as his arrow struck its mark. We can do this!"
Heshrou's group then charged with their swords
withdrawn, and Haothen called a halt to the archers. "Bows down, swords up!
Prepare to join in the battle!" and then throwing her bow over her back, Zana
lifted her sword, and prepared to charge.
***
I readied my sword as the horn sounded, and Heshrou scowled at the array of
foes ahead of them. "Almost time to break formation, and charge," he said between
clenched teeth, and then as the fourth volley of arrows struck, and Dsupa had
had his men pinpoint the direction it came from, Heshrou yelled out a battle
cry, and charged for the backs of the assaulting creatures with the rest of
his followers behind, and me at his side.
Tacking them by surprise, Dsupa lost many of
his men before the others managed to turn on us, and at that second, the archers,
now with swords in their hands, charged too. The metallic ring of steel on steel
rang throughout the village as the fight between us worsened. Dsupa had lost
many of his followers, but he still had many to take the place of those fallen,
and because our number was so weak, we were being beaten back, and loosing many
of the warriors who had come with us.
"Go back!" Heshrou yelled. "Move them into the
forest, there we will have the advantage!" and he started to back up into the
edges of the wood when he saw Haothen. Many surrounded him, and Haothen had
not any chance of escape. "Haothen!" Heshrou cried, running towards his friend,
swinging his sword wildly. Heshrou reached the spot of his friend just as a
sword bit into his side.
Heshrou grabbed his hand as he fell to the ground
wounded deeply, and a black Lupe lifted his sword to bring it upon Heshrou.
His sword did not fall though, for I rushed into the mists of the creatures
with my wings outspread, scattering them just long enough for me to pick up
Heshrou and Haothen in my paws, and soar past Dsupa's men into the confines
of the forest where the ten or so Krawks who were left alive were waiting for
their general. "Heshrou! Are you okay!" Thiowa shouted running up to Heshrou.
"I am fine, it is Haothen." And he looked down
to where his friend was gasping for breath.
"Where's Zana Taru?" I said frantically as I
notice that she was not there.
"Looking for this little creature?" Dsupa yelled
flying above us holding Zana Taru in his arms. She still held the flower in
one arm, and she was using the other to scratch at Dsupa's red scales. She stopped
as he put a dagger up to her throat.
"Surrender yourself to me Dorono, and I will
let her go. In fact, I won't give the word to have my men finish off the rest
of these weaklings either. Don't surrender, and I will just have to issue out
that order, and once you are all alone, and all your Krawk friends are destroyed,
you can watch as I slowly finish off this Zafara."
"Zana!" I yelled looking up at her with fear
in my eyes.
"So do you take my offer? Surrender yourself,
and the rest will be spared."
"Don't do it Dorono!" Zana yelled, and she tossed
down the flower, which I caught in my paws as it fell. "He is evil, you cannot
listen to what he says!"
I looked around at the Krawks who all had their
eyes upon me. They all knew that I held their lives in my paw, for I was the
target of Dsupa, and if I gave up, they could return to their families, and
peaceful living. "I…" I looked over to where Heshrou and Thiowa desperately
tried to stop the bleeding of Haothen. "I…" I looked up to Zana, being held
in the air with a dagger to her throat. No more would die because of me. I would
give up.
"Well Eyrie, what is your choice?"
"I surrender," I whispered.
"What?"
"I surrender!" I screamed so loudly that
all eyes turned to me. "I give up my own life to save that of others." I turned
to Thiowa, and handed her the flower, then said "Give this to Zana. We have
come too far to lose Zarrel." Then I slowly walked out with drooped wings and
ears to the awaiting group of Dsupa's creatures.
Dsupa laughed as his men bound my paws, and
then as soon as I was securely tied, he turned to his men. "Now we have the
Eyrie. You can finish off the others."
"NO!" I screamed. "You said that if I surrendered
myself that you would spare them!"
"I am," Dsupa said with an evil grin. "For a
few more moments." And then his men started to advance onto the Krawks who were
preparing to take a last stand.
"I HATE YOU!" Zana yelled, and she bit Dsupa
upon the hand.
"Why you little annoying piece of purple trash!"
Dsupa cried raising his sword. "Let's see how well you bite without a head!"
but at that second an arrow flew into his sword, which fell from his grasp,
and landed point down in the dirt. Startled, the Halloween Nimmo warlord dropped
Zana Taru, who fell to the ground with a startled scream.
Suddenly, tons of Krawks ran out from the swampy
woods, and tossed off their camouflaging cover. They were the Krawks who had
fled with Taloum. The Krawks fought bitterly, and surprised, Dsupa's men began
to retreat. "You fools! We can beet them!" the warlord yelled, but then he too
began to retreat as several arrows narrowly missed him, and he left me tied
up in the middle of the battlefield. "We will meet again Dorono!" Dsupa called
as he turned tail, and flew as fast as he could away from the Krawks who after
reloading fired another volley at him.
"Dorono!" Zana Taru cried, and I looked at her
running up to me with Heshrou at her side.
"Stay still Dorono." Heshrou said, and then
he slashed the bounds to me, but as soon as I stood up, we were surrounded by
a legion of Krawks all holding spears up to our heads.
"Betrayers! Kidnappers! Murderers!" a voice
yelled, and then Taloum parted the ranks of his men, and came face to face with
Zana Taru, Heshrou, and me. "First you help the enemy escape, then you kidnap
my sister Heshrou! I also bet that you are the whole reason that we were besieged
by that army too!"
Tasho and the other Krawks with Heshrou began
to raise their swords, ready to protect their general, but Heshrou raised a
hand, "No, there has already been enough killing without brother against brother."
And he smiled as those loyal to him, sheathed their swords.
"Heshrou!" Thiowa cried running up, "We're loosing
him." And pushing past the other Krawks, Heshrou and I followed Thiowa to where
Haothen laid down, ready to pass into the next world.
"Haothen, my friend," Heshrou said laying a
hand upon the dying warriors shoulder.
"You... fought well," he said with a smile.
"At least… At least I will pass away knowing that you live…" and then Haothen
was silent, and then removing his hand from his friends shoulder, Heshrou covered
his face, sorrow in his heart.
"He is in the better land now," Thiowa said
putting a hand over Heshrou's shoulder, but before long, she was yanked away
by her brother who was wearing a deep scowl over his face.
"This is it!" he cried. "I have dealt with his
type before, and the best way is with just a quick stroke of the blade. I sentence
you to death Heshrou!"
"No!" Thiowa yelled. "I beg of you to let him
live!"
"And why would that be fairest sister."
"I-I love him…" And then she embraced Heshrou,
and a tear dripped down her cheek. "Please…"
"You love him???" Taloum said. "Well that changes
everything."
"Really?" Thiowa asked with happiness in her
eyes.
"Yeah, now instead of finishing him off right
now, I'll wait until you have been blindfolded."
"You monster!" Thiowa cried. "If you are to
destroy him, you will have to destroy me too!" and Thiowa stood in front of
her brother's blade."
Taloum lifted up his sword, but then let it
drop to the ground. "I cannot finish off my sister," he said, and then he looked
sternly up at Thiowa. "Instead of death, I give you and Heshrou banishment from
our lands forever. Same goes for you two," he said looking at Zana and I who
were standing behind. "Now get out of my sight and never return!" and he turned
around, and walked away with the other Krawks, leaving us sitting in the soft
dirt with the flower of Trinifucus at our side.
To be continued...
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