Page 85 of Storms & Sacrifice
I think about sharing my weird feelings about being watched from before, but I’m probably just being paranoid. Not wanting to look odd by spending any more time in our tent, we both exit and take seats by the fire. After Orim, the next ranger back is Hazatin, the dwarf, who is followed by Glasha, then finally Ranger Firedrum, who looks almost put off when she sees me.
“What are you doing here?” she asks, sounding suspicious.
I explain for the tenth time why Khazak and I are here, but her behavior has me second guessing whether or not I was actually being paranoid early. Something is going on, and I need to tell Khazak. The sun has set, so we should be headed back out for our last patrol soon.
“Does anyone know why Boldhammer and Lonespite are not back yet?” Wu’dag asks after the two officers missing from the camp. I need to sync their compass stones withthe cap—”
Two arrows whiz past the shaman, landing with athunkin the ground not far from where I’m sitting.
“What the hell?” I, and everyone around me, jump up, searching for the archer responsible. Then two more arrows fly in, followed quickly by a cry of pain as one of them hits their target—Hazatin, who is pierced inthe thigh.
“We are under attack!” Khazak cries out, drawinghis sword.
More arrows fly in, one hitting Officer Stonearm in the chest and another bouncing off Orim’s armor. Ofcourse,tonight would be the night Khazak and I decide to skip wearing armor. It was just supposed to be a quiet night! As people try to take cover, I see the shaman slam his walking staff down and begin to chant, his eyes and hands glowing as a fog of white smoke grows around him—and then it abruptly stops, his body slumping to the ground.
Ranger Firedrum stands behind him, blood-covered dagger in hand. I stare at herwide-eyed.
“Tonight is already off to a bad start,” she says down to the shaman’s crumpled form, wiping the blood off her blade. “We do not need you making it any worse.”
“What is the meaning of this?!” Khazak shouts, sword aimed at the murderous orc.
Glasha is near Hazatin, who is having trouble standing with the arrow sticking out of his leg. I’m doing my best to keep my eyes on Firedrum while also trying to search for the archers that are still out in the forest.
“Taking what is rightfully ours.” As Firedrum steps over Wu’dag’s body, I watch the other two officers move to stand behind her. And then behind her, just beyond the camp’s perimeter, is a group of people wearing solid black robes. A dozen at least, barely visible in the darkness.Oh shit.
“This istreason,” Khazak spits at her.
“You’re working for him, aren’t you?” I ask next. “CouncilmanMurbank.”
Firedrum narrows her eyes at me. “Take out the human.”
“No!” I don’t even see the arrow coming toward me before Khazak shoulder-checks me out of the way, crying out in pain when it sinks into his arm.
“Khazak!” I do my best to scramble to my feet.
“Take the captain and the human alive. The rest are unimportant,” she calls to the group behind her. “Now where did—”
The ground rumbles, strong enough to collapse a few of the tents. Then it sounds like the trees are moving, which seems crazy, but I watch a tree branch swing out of the darkness and slam into one of the officers at Firedrum’s side, flinging him into some of the robed crowd behind him. As everyone begins to panic, I look at the ground and see Wu’dag isn’t down for the count yet, his eyes glowing.
“Run,” is all he says after locking eyes with me before the fire goes out, and everything turns black.
The panicked shouting starts immediately, and I instinctively grab for Khazak next to me. This isn’t natural darkness; I can’t seeanything.
“Where are they?! Where is the avakesh?!” An unknown voice calls out.Why are they after me and Khazak?
“David, Captain, we must run.”That’s Orim. A hand on my arm pulls me away, and I make sure to pull Khazak along with me. Behind me, I can hear the sounds of a struggle, and I can only hope the other rangers can make it out okay. I try to ignore what I think is the sound of a sword hitting a body and just keep running.
As soon as we are far enough from camp, the world comes back into view, or at least, I can see the vague shapes of trees in the more natural-darkness. Orim is still gripping my arm to guide me, and I’ve still got a hold of Khazak’s...who I am starting to notice is moving slower than thetwo of us.
“Are you okay?” I turn back in the darkness to ask.
“I think...the arrows...were poisoned,” he breathes out slowly.Fuck.
“I bet I know what with, too.”What is with this fucking flower?!
“Distilled poison acts much faster than plant form,” Orim explains fromthe front.
“Are you going to be okay?” I remember the struggle it was trying to move him last time. At least I’m in better shape.
