Garthalan: Mother of the Wood

Shadows

Jenalon pov

Me and a small team crawled to the edge of the cave over looking the rebels fortress. It was just low enough to drop down into the defenses one at a time, it was the same cave we had yennefer use to come and assassinate commander Gretha.

"Shadows." The shadow men crawled next to me, I could almost feel the bloodlust emanating from them. "Take out the mages first. I will handle the gates." Almost instantly they were gone into the darkness.

I motioned my men forward and we dropped down one at a time into the courtyards. Niarin met me at the entrance. "Sir the gate gaurds are switching post in two minutes. Now is the time to move." Niarin is a human we sent to gather information from the rebels, he was posted as a guard putting him near most plans the rebels made, as well as gathering schedules and maps of the fort.

"Move." My men silently moved towards the gate controls. We had another army waiting outside the walls, this would be out last attempt in the fort. Losing anymore men would greatly weaken the capitol. "Good job spy, you may want to leave for the next part. The soldiers are ordered to kill everyone."

Adaya pov

I found the lair of the demon. It was actually a large house, three stories tall and three times the width of the house I picked out at the fort. I entered the doors quietly, if there is a demon Here it would be in the darkest room they feed off the fear in the shadows. I drew my shortsword and a dagger ready for whatever it may throw at me.

A deep gravely voice came from across the room along with somrhing large moving to rise from the ground. "Ah, another meal, and so soon after my last. I am not hungry now, but I can save you for later......and you are a beautiful little thing now aren't you? The entertainment will be nice as well."

The voice came from all around me making it hard to pinpoint where the demon was. "Show yourself demon. I have no time for these games."

"And yet I have all the time in the world. I do so like games." I heard it's footsteps behind me and turned swinging my blade. Nothing.

"Fine, you wanna play this game. I can oblidge for a bit." I put my hand to the ground and sent myself into the rock feeling every movement over and within it.

A mole tunnels across the entrance, worms and other insects have made homes within. I can feel the equipment of all the others who are already gone, victims of the demon. The demon had massive feet. It is right above me. I rise behind it. " Ah, I see you can play the game quite well."

"Better than the others who ventured here." I dropped back as he turned and lifted across the cave. "Tell me demon. Are you growing tired of the charade yet?"

"Not quite little pretty. I have not had a good game in at least two thousand years. This is exciting." the last words hissed out from behind me.

I rolled forward feeling the air from the demons claws pass inches from my back. I put my hand back down and dropped again. The demon disappeared and reappeared at middle of the cave. It must be a shadow mover. I felt the ground rumble as it roared, though heard nothing the ground muffled sound unfortunately.

I rose behind it again, this time I made a try at ending this. Thrusting my dagger where I suspect for it back to be. Nothing.

I felt it behind me, but before I could dodge it hit me. I was sent flying across the cave, when I hit the wall I felt my ribs crack as I fell to the ground. "I know you didn't expect it to be that easy little pretty. Your such a young and dumb little thing, too bad you won't be able to learn more, I did quite like this." I moved to press my hand to the ground but was stopped.

The demon bound my hands together and threw me amongst the equipment. There was not earth for me to touch here, and my head is throbbing threading to send me into a sleep. I crawled to the edge finally finding earth. Again before I was able to touch it the Demon grabbed Me again. "Oh come now pretty. I rarely get guests, you must stay for a while. Dinner will come shortly, until then we may entertain each other."

My head throbbed even more as he spoke, I tried to push him away with no such luck. I am too weak to fight and he keeps laying me on metals. This time he bound my hands to a post I suspect, there I stayed until I finally gave in and passed out from my head injury. Hopefully I will go into a coma and not feel it when he decides to eat me.