The Lizard King

Part 12: Sound Off

Kayla saddled up and got her stuff together. Her bow and quiver were on her back, her meals in her bag, and the rest of the mead on the table for Marlana. She knew exactly what would happen if she didn't leave it: that recently healed ankle suddenly and unexpectedly getting dislocated again. With that she was up and out the door.

The day was still long and with her money in stock and food on the table, she decided to just enjoy the rest of the day by herself. And what better way to start than with dinner at Brenner's pub?

The midday rush was just coming to a start but Kayla didn't worry none too much: Brenner always saves a spot for his loyal customers. As soon as she stepped in the door, Brenner looked up and motioned for her to take a spot at the bar. Many of the tables were already filled and the bar was getting full too. She got there right in the knick of time.

She dropped her stuff on the floor and set down on the high stool. "What can I get ya Kayla?" Brenner started.

"You know what I like," Kayla said, "Best ya got!" Brenner set to work and got the best cheese, bread, and salted pork he could find on a nice, modest plate. On the side he got a cool ale he made himself. All of this served with a smile and a wink from the boss himself. Kayla grinned at the sight of the plate hitting the bar top. Breen never disappoints.

"Well someone seems happy after talking with Marlana." Brenner said.

"Hard to believe," Kayla said between bites of food, "but it does happen. Could just be in a good mood cuz of what I bagged today."

"Oh yeah!" Brenner's face lit up. "What a mark! How much that thing weigh, sixty pounds?"

"Seventy!" Kayla said with a grin.

"Bless my soul!"

"Oh yeah and get this: the guy I was selling to wanted thirty for it!"

"What'd ya say to that?" Brenner said, filling up an ale for the fellow next to Kayla.

"I wanted fifty! I almost said to him that he could go out there and fetch a deer himself before we settled on forty."

"Bollocks!" Brenner set the pitcher down on the table. "Fine specimen like that, obviously you should have gotten more."

"I know!" Kayla exclaimed, picking up her drink, "First deer I bagged all year and he's being that guy? Come on it's like no one appreciates the good things anymore."

"Yeah I know how that goes," Brenner said, "Stuff won't be quite as fun with the new sheriff in town."

"Woah wait, new sheriff?" Kayla set down her ale as her face evened.

"Oh yeah, Sheriff Marcus Lomew. Just installed a few days ago." Brenner cleaned a cup as he talked. "Brought some folks in from some city near the Capital, says he's gonna step up the game when it comes to defense here."

Kayla looked down at her cup. No one's been the sheriff here since her father died on the job. Maybe no one wanted to step up to the job. She supposed it was good that someone was taking over the role. Anything to keep the bandits and brigands at bay.

As Kayla made her way home that day, she kept thinking about Riptheil. Was it really best he didn't remember anything about the war? Surely the pain would drive him to some extremes to get rid of it. Still to forget something like that, something that would have shaped you, that must feel like you're missing a part of yourself.

-----

The ranger steps quietly through the woods late at night along with several others like him. Each one carries a crossbow and several solid steel bolts. Walking ten or so yards apart, they stop to examine every tree, every bush, every animal track they come across. They appear to be looking for something.

The lead ranger himself heads the group, and his black cloak perfectly conceals him. The only sign that he's even there is the orders he gives to his team. Slowly, he turns to examine a large oak tree. They're almost where they need to be. He stops and yells so everybody can hear him, "We're fast approaching! I want pattern alpha here! Sound off! One!"

Slowly, the other members of the team begin to sound off as well. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. All men accounted for as they come closer, now spaced only five yards apart and slowly on the move again.

Not even an hour later, they reach what they've been looking for: a small cave sitting in the middle of the woods. There's enough light coming from inside for the men to see each other's faces. The lead ranger gestures to three of them to stay outside and guard the perimeter. The three back off into the woods and aim their weapons outwards as the remaining seven descend into the cave mouth.

The lead ranger stops at every corner, using a small mirror to peek around before turning with his weapon. Inside there's much to see but apparently it's not what they're looking for. Large slabs of stone, a small stove, and some large pieces of fabric are all they can see. The drawings on the cave wall indicate they are in the right place, however. There on the wall are drawings of the exact thing they're hunting. For now though, it doesn't look like anyone's home.

The lead ranger exits the way he came and looks around for the men he posted outside. "Sound off! One!"

Again, the numbers return to him. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven...

Perhaps they others didn't hear him? He inhaled deeply to yell louder. "SOUND OFF! ONE!"

Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven...

Thirty seconds passed. Not one word from the other three. The men all looked around at each other nervously. How long had they been in that cave? It couldn't have been more than five minutes.

The lead ranger looks around, crossbow raised and does a silent hand gesture. The men all stare at each other. They all know what it means: split up and locate the missing three. Slowly, five of the men including the lead ranger go into the woods while the remaining two stand guard at the cave.

As the lead ranger slowly heads deeper into the woods, a metallic glint catches his eye. Upon closer inspection, he sees it's one of the steel bolts his men were using. The head on this one, however, looks as if it had been fired directly into a stone wall. It was bent slightly in the middle as well, almost as if it's been stepped on. Taking a step back, the lead ranger sees why. It's laying right in the middle of a very large footprint.

"AAAAHHHHHH!" The lead ranger's head snaps upwards as he hears one of his men scream in the distance before being cut off. His crossbow comes up to his face as he prepares to move in the direction of the scream.

He wheels around. Another scream from a distance behind him. And then another after that. Whatever is out there, it's picking off his men one by one. No more. He takes out a small horn and blows. The men all know what it means: fall back and regroup.

The lead ranger jumps and ducks and weaves his way back to the cave, where he still sees his two men standing guard at the cave mouth. They look all the more worried now, one of them almost firing a bolt straight into their leader's face before they recognize him. "Where are the others?" The lead ranger barks. "SOUND OFF! ONE!"

The rangers behind him continue. Two. Three...
Nothing. No one else. They must have been...No! The lead ranger can't believe that. They're just...just...

"What do we do now Commander?" One of the rangers sheepishly asks.

The lead ranger slowly turns, his face drained of all color, and looks out to the woods. "Keep your weapons up," he whispers, "And on my mark...we run."