Beyond the Rabbit Hole

False Wraiths

Screams erupted from the carriage as the bolts pelted the door. Several mercenaries on Serana's side of the carriage charged at the assailants but were quickly shot down. Serana led the survivors to take cover behind the carriage and wagons. Commander Barbarossa ducked as he exited the carriage on the side opposite the attackers. The remaining coachmen leapt from their wagons as their seats were battered with bolts. The attackers fired their crossbows in rounds, never giving a moment of reprieve while they carefully walked in sync with the dreadwraiths surrounding them. Chaos broke the mercenaries' formation in seconds, leaving the officers scrambling to keep their men in line. Alyss, Benard, and the other four escorts took cover swiftly. Morgyn hesitated as the bolts whizzed past him.

"Get to cover, Morgyn!" Alyss grabbed at his arm and pulled him behind the wagon.

Roy aimed his crossbow at the assailants.

With his face red from anger, Allen yanked Roy's crossbow away from him. "Are you trying to get us all killed?!"

"Hold your fire!" Barbarossa shouted to the other archers. "Don't shoot! You might hit the wraiths!"

"What's going on?" Morgyn's voice faltered through shaky breaths.

"If we attack the dreadwraiths, they'll kill us all!" Allen heaved.

Barbarossa peered through the carriage. "Stay in the cabin but keep your heads down. I'll figure something out."

The Desiras nodded quietly while sweat moistened their brows and fear coursed through their trembling lips. The child, Kenneth, cried softly as his mother cradled him in her arms. Valentina's body shivered slightly as she prayed.

"Damn it, Rossa, what do we do?" Bjurrin looked to the commander for answers. His face steeled with the determination to die fighting if he must.

Serana kept an eye on Valentina through the crack in the carriage door but otherwise remained silent, her mental status hidden behind the closed visor of her golden helmet.

"I don't know, let me think! Damn it, why the hell are there false wraiths in the bloody Dread Sea?" Barbarossa clenched his fist with frustration.

"Forget about that and just tell us what to do!" Bjurrin exclaimed.

A bolt hit the neck of one of the mules and it cried out as it collapsed.

"Are they trying to leave us stranded?" Allen grit his teeth.

"Grab the horses and the other mule and pull them behind cover! Do it now!" Barbarossa shouted to the men.

The first man to step out for the mule took several bolts to the chest immediately.

Serana grabbed the horse closest to her and led it to take cover behind the wagon while the other collapsed from another barrage of bolts.

Allen took a deep breath and stepped out to grab the mule. A bolt struck him in the leg, and he hunched over in pain, barely dodging another bolt as it flew past his head. He winced in pain and pulled at the mule, but it was stuck on the wagon.

"They're baiting you fools!" Bjurrin shouted, peering behind the cover of the carriage.

Benard unsheathed his sword and slashed the reins holding the mule hostage before ducking back behind cover.

Allen pulled the mule closer to the carriage and took a bolt to the stomach. Blood erupted from his mouth as he fell to the ground, letting go of the reins.

"Damn it!" Bjurrin lunged forward and grabbed the reins from Allen's hand and with great strength pulled the mule swiftly behind cover.

"We'll have to wait for the wraiths to pass by," Rossa said through staggered breaths.