Hope and Darkness

Chapter 8

At dawn a struggling group of people limped down the track that led to the village. As it happened, Charlie and Justin were standing guard. “State your name and business,” Charlie called out loudly. In the days they had been here the bandits had become a group admired by some of the members of the watch for their skill in weapons. Charlie had attached himself to the guard house and had even put his bedroll into the guardhouse. In turn, Justin had attached himself to Charlie. Justin took aim with his bow but didn’t draw it back. Suddenly a strong voice rang to the palisade. “Charlie, is that you? My god, we thought you’d died!” Charlie squinted at the group before he leaped over the wooden palisade. “Harley!” he yelled. Justin followed him. He surveyed the group and instantly realised one important fact. “Charlie,” he said. “Nearly all are hurt.”

“They came at night,” Harley explained. Around him where 2 senior members of the guard, Jeremy, Anton, Samuel, Matthew and Toby. “We’d already doubled the guard in case the forest bandits came. They rushed in, and nearly all of us got out of bed with our weapons. We had 400 people, most of them villagers. I think they had about 300 people. They all wore black armour, with this kind of purple insignia, like a badge. Anyway, they cut through our ill-equipped people fast. They captured some of the people and stuffed them in a cage. Strangest of all were these people dressed in black robes. They talked to the captured people like they were trying to convert them or something. Anyone who was injured was killed. The elder and some others, villagers and bandits, escaped with me. We almost died on the way here, and then we found this village.” At this point Harley promptly passed out and Samuel and 2 of his assistants walked over and flopped him onto a stretcher. They carried him to an empty house where all the other injured visitors were. Jeremy turned to Anton and whispered a few words. Anton nodded and turned a slightly disbelieving look in the direction of Harley. As Anton hurried to do what Jeremy had told him to do, Jeremy turned to the others. “I am inclined to believe his story. I think that they will come here next. I’ve ordered Anton to send out scouts. I want all of you to defend the palisade. That means no sleeping in,” he looked pointedly at Matthew. “What does a guy have to do to get some sleep around here?” Matthew complained. Toby turned to him. “I said that!” Harley suddenly woke. Samuel tried to push him back, but the man’s grip was unrelenting. “They must be warned,” he said weakly. All eyes spun to him. “In the mountains, three scouts not like the Darkness soldiers. They hid themselves but were watching the battle. I remember one of them. He sensed I was watching him and turned and smiled at me. The next second a darkness soldier attacked me.” This time he passed out for good and the others were left with that horrible thought in their minds.