The forest seems endless with how many trees and large rocks we've passed. Ameline hasn't left my side since we've left the river, nor have Duncan and Charlotte sheathed their weapons. As for me, I keep darting my eyes around and waiting for my Auryn to pulse. The only exciting thing that's happened so far is when a squirrel flew over Duncan's head.
"Still can't even tell where we are. I wish I had a compass," Duncan says.
"I wish I had a drink. Let's hope we can find some water soon," Charlotte says.
"Don't say water..." Ameline mutters.
Soon, however, Duncan stops us and starts looking around erratically, like a target had just been painted on his back. He hears a sound like a twig cracking. Then, Duncan pushes me away, and I nearly fall, just as a pointed stick lodges into the bark of a tree. It just about struck my temple.
I hear them coming. Dozens of homogeneous beings with long pointed ears, leathery purple skin, and wearing tunics over their tiny bodies. Their heads are covered by red veils, and their eyes are dark, almost like holes rather than eyes. But their most notable trait are the giant stones each one has strapped to its back that look far too heavy, yet they all run swiftly towards us. They wield wooden, hand-carved weapons, some equipped with sharpened with pieces of bone for stabbing. A few of them aim crudely shaped blowguns, shooting those same sharpened sticks at us.
"Stoneseekers! Stay on your toes!" Duncan shouts.
The little buggers race after us, surrounding us quickly. I call my sword, but it is still as long as a dagger. Its only use is to jab into their necks, but the Stoneseekers seem unfazed by its size. Duncan and Charlotte are much better equipped, as they cleave through the Stoneseekers easily.
Ameline is suddenly pinned up to a tree, with one of the cretins licking his lips like she was dinner. She was forced to gaze right into the malicious eyes of the beast. But she quickly thrusts her arms forward, and a burst of light launches the Stoneseeker backward. She scrambles back towards me, just missing another one that dove at her feet.
Then, I hear a scream. Charlotte has a Stoneseeker hanging on her leg and biting her ankle. Duncan tries to reach her, but another one of the buggers heaves his weight on him, planting him to the ground. The whole woods go silent as soon as one of those darts shoots Charlotte square in the neck. She immediately goes limp, and she drops to the ground, mindless. Duncan lets out a small cry, but I can't hear him shout. I don't hear anything. My only thought is to punish that infernal being who is still biting that defenseless woman's leg.
I grab him by his ear, and with all the strength in my body, I toss the Stoneseeker away. My hand is wet, and I look to see I ripped his ear clean off his head. The little cretins look at me very differently now, as the earless one shudders in pain. They disperse quickly, leaving only Stoneseeker corpses scattered around.
Charlotte is turning pale and her forehead has instantly become soaked in sweat. Duncan swiftly pulls the dart out of her neck, and a black, viscous fluid flows amid her bloodstains.
"Poison," Duncan said with a heavy heart.
"We gotta find her some help."
"Where?!" Duncan says, tears practically streaming down his face already. "We haven't come across any civilization all day, and she's the only Cleric we have!"
"Would you rather keep her here and watch her die in your arms?"
Duncan gives me a dirty look. But then, after thinking for a moment, he hands me Charlotte's sword. It's a heavier blade than I imagined, but it will suit me for now. Duncan cradles his wife like a child, his eyes filled with emotion.
We don't have much time to think. More Stoneseekers are arriving, looking for revenge.
They start popping out from behind the trees and rocks. Some of them start tossing their whittled spears instead of running straight for us this time. Using the sword, I'm able to keep them at a distance, but only a short amount. We run together, only heading forward with me slicing anything that gets in our way. The little buggers are starting to become even more agile and desperate like I am as dangerous to them as a wildfire.
Suddenly, one of them latches onto my back and digs its stone knife into my shoulder. I'm forced to stop just as they start to gather around and try to get on top of me. Duncan does his best to kick some away, but his concern for Charlotte keeps him at bay.
Then, out of nowhere, an arrow pierces a Stoneseeker through the back of its skull. It falls to the ground which frightens the others, before more of them are shot. Several are shot dead, only requiring one arrow in their skull. Having spotted the assailant, the rest of the Stoneseekers scream in panicked growls and scamper away in hiding. I have to shield my eyes from the morning sun to see a figure standing on a hill nearby.
His skin is tanned, only slightly darker than his buckskin shirt and matching trousers. His long red hair ends just at his shoulders, with a long braid drooping down behind his left ear. The top of his head was covered in a spiffy hat with a matching blue feather sticking out. He wields a sturdy bow, and on his back is a full quiver of arrows.
The archer slides down to us, and I'm comforted to see he has blue eyes instead of Fiendish red.
"Hello there," he says with a smile. "I thought you could use some help."
"Thank you for saving us," I tell him. "I'm Triton and this i-"
"Quiet!" Duncan shouts. "You! My wife's been poisoned by those bastards. Please, can you help her?"
"Of course," he says. "My father's a doctor. Come this way! You're welcome in Pirema!" he shouts as he starts running towards the east. We follow him blindly, but I have a feeling that we can trust this young man.
Something about him seems familiar.
"I'm Alistar, by the way. Alistar Winsmore!"
After a quick run over a few rolling hills and past another acre of oak trees, we approach a small, but a populated village. The village is surrounded by a wall made of sharpened logs- the only entrance to it is a large wooden gate. There is only one dirt road and an assortment of tiny houses made of wood and fiber. Plain thatch roofs shelter every building. Some citizens wander around, either working or doing mundane activities near their homes. However, much like Edolpha, the village has no chapel. More of those tall wooden logs stand randomly along the road, with strings of reeds chained along with them. Each line has a row of glass jars.
I notice the village looks rather deteriorated, like it is alive, but dying. The houses all have wood rot, the grass is either too long or too dry, and even the people look malnourished and withered.
Alistar leads us to a small farm on the village's southern edge. The farm has a single crop field and a stable big enough for maybe only one miniature horse. There's a henhouse near the stable, with a few brown chickens clucking like mad. Standing nearby is a cottage built very similar to the other buildings, though its chimney spews the most smoke.
A tall, bearded man is plowing the fields when he notices us.
"Pa! I found some refugees out in the woods! The Stoneseekers caught up to them!" Alistar shouts.
The old man acts immediately as soon as he sees Charlotte, who was moaning from the pain. He gently examines her, feeling her pulse and looking into her eyes. Her skin is starting to become scarred with purple markings, and her coughing is getting worse.
"I see," he mutters. "More of that poison. Come, everyone, you're all welcome here."
YOU ARE READING
Starborn
Fantasi"A dying ember tinders a greater flame." Triton Netherbane returns from death, finding his homeland of Cinedime in turmoil. The Shadowhearts have taken over what is rightfully his, for only the Netherbane clan may rule as kings of Cinedime. Wielding...
