Incubus I (UNDER EDITING)!!!

Chapter 35: Mirabelle

                                    It was already Evening, when a village loomed into view. It had a large well at the entrance which they all began drinking greedily from. While they gulped down bowls of water,  Levi and Kelvin were onto something else,  with distance between them they studied the village, and realized, that there was no sign of life in it.
They looked to each other,  and looked forward again,  but none saw anything living or breathing. They turned to each other again and then turned to see Edda standing behind them,
"what's the matter... You boys ain't thirsty "  she asked
Kelvin looked to Levi and he nodded.
" i don't think we've arrived a spot to rest yet" Kelvin began
"what? what are you talking about "  she replied
" what he's trying to say is that something isn't right about this village "

" how do you mean something's not right " she said walking forward to get a closer look
" it's too quiet in there Edda " Levi said first
"  and quiet, is dangerous out here,  trust me " Kelvin added
" you may be right,  it's still too early for the whole village to be asleep"
"what's your call" Kelvin asked, directing the question to Levi.
Levi fell silent for a bit, pondering on what decision was the right one,  to move on or enter the village.

"There could be a chance this village is connected to the event on the road " he began
" and this could be the first Intel we would have about the enemy. "
" so you're saying... "Edda asked
" we'll spend the night here in the village,  and start our investigation at first light. " he said, looking up to Kelvin to see if he agreed to what he said, and to his surprise, Kelvin nodded and went to inform the others.
" see...  that wasn't so bad ''  she said holding his left shoulder, and he hummed a positive reply with a smile.

When they turned around every one else were already covered in their hoods,  weapons in hand, ready to enter the village. They immediately covered themselves too and stealthily began to walk towards the village.
"Levi " Kelvin called, Levi halted and looked to him with an inquiring look
" the farmlands... They've been abandoned " he said  pointing in the direction of the scare crows in the fields.
Levi nodded and continued his walk, not sure what Kelvin was trying to point out.

Before long they were scattered in the village searching for any sign of life,  but saw nothing. They went from house to house,  and then barns,  but nothing. Tired and exhausted Kelvin sat on a wooden crate, waiting for Levi to call off the search, when he saw Dru stiff the ground till he reached the Town hall. Kelvin immediately got up and followed him. He too soon began to pick the scent of a sweating body too.  He hurried off to the door,  but it was barred from within. The others saw him fumbling at the porch and wandered over there too to see if he found something.
After minutes of collective efforts to open the door the ladies decided to put up an act, pretending to be seeking for help, and it worked. As the barricades behind the doors began to move.

After a few agonizing moments of waiting the door creaked open,  and an old man stepped out into the moonlight with a torch in hand.
"strangers" he said warmly  "come in its not safe out here"
Shocked as they were,  they all followed him in quickly,  as it was better than the creepy darkness surrounding the rest of the village.
Inside,  he made them sit around a large table and offered them some tea,  before he went to fetch the other villagers inside with him.

"what happened, why are you all inside here"    Kelvin asked when the old man returned to his seat.
The old man was reluctant to speak at first,  but after looking round at them all he felt quite comfortable with their presence and began to speak.

" it all began one sunny afternoon, some months ago. from my spot just outside this building i  noticed a flash of green light reach up into the sky, and return back down. Half an hour later a group of farmers ran back to tell us of how two huge men had slain their friends in the farms, we thought it was a local village crisis so in large numbers we went to find these men,  "but our information was wrong, they weren't men,  but beasts, with green skin and brown fangs for teeth, far larger than any man you'll ever know"

"Giants " Rava asked trying to swallow a hard lump that formed in his throat.
" no boy... Not Giants,  but their hands were big enough to crack your head like a nut without much of an effort "  the old man said

" they slaughtered men days and days after that, everyone in this village has lost someone, even as i myself, my son and grandson"  he said his voice cracking as he recounted his sorrows
"we've lived in here ever since, managing what little we have to eat since no man has the courage to return to the farms "  

A grave silence fell upon the table as the old man made an end of speaking.
" how about you... You don't seem like you're from these parts, where are you from? " he asked, but no one answered, everyone expecting one of Levi, Kelvin or Edda to speak,  but none did.
" i perceive that you're mercenaries and i implore you to help us fight and send these beasts back to the hell they came from"
"I'm sorry but we won't be able to help you " Levi replied immediately
" we just lost a good man,  and i can't risk losing another"
"ive lost people too, but i need your help so we won't loose more,  we are running out of food and nothing but death awaits us outside those doors. We've sent letters to king Duncan but have heard nothing from him"

"I can't... " Levi wanted to speak but was cut off by the man
" we'll pay you,  name your price"
Levi fell short of words instantly. He looked to Kelvin, who was busy reading the same book he had been reading all day. He shifted his gaze to Edda, but she didn't have any words for him.
"I'll give you my reply by morning " Levi concluded getting up from his seat and walking off to a window
Everyone else at the table turned to Kelvin, but he just exhaled and picked up his tea, not even giving them the courtesy of a glance.

" haven't you ever tried escaping before? " Kelvin asked the old man closing his book
" yes the whole village tried to move,  but they just always show up on any path we try to take,  its the reason we're this little left"
"a group tried to leave with three wagons today,  and seeing you all here i think their trip should have been successful "
Every one at the table looked at each other,  nobody wanting to be the party popper
" i wouldn't exactly say successful " Kelvin said, trying has hard as possible to be indirect.
the old man leaned against the back rest of his chair,  and a tear rolled down his wrinkled cheek as he called the name"  mirabelle" thrice

From the expression on his face Kelvin knew that whoever that lady was,  she must have been really precious to him,  Kelvin felt everything in him push him to do something,  but what could he do,  he too was in fear of these Orcs and hoped silently within him that they didn't come across any of them.

                                       Early in the morning of the next day they had all woken up and sat around the table expecting Levi,  and when he did show up,  the tension didn't last long, because he hurriedly broke the news of his refusal to the old man,  thanked him and was out of the hall in no time.
Kelvin was the last to leave the table.  He sat watching the man with a pitiful countenance he wanted to do something to set them free from these creatures,  but he had to protect the throne at home,  he would never forgive himself if something happened to Edda and he wasn't there to prevent it from happening. Finally, he got up and thanked the man before walking to the door.

Half an hour later, as Kelvin and Dru led the way through the woods, and the others followed behind. Dru stopped and began barking  furiously.
That was when Kelvin heard it,  the voice came again, crying for help.
Kelvin immediately dropped his pack and ran in the direction of the coming sound and soon stumbled into a clearing,  where he saw a young girl tied to a tree.
He hurried off to her, and began cutting her loose, having the dread of the Orcs in his mind.
"what's your name" he asked  after cutting her loose
"Mirabelle" she replied with a shaky voice.
His heart sank immediately he heard her, they had walked into a trap. It was no coincidence that it was the Old man's granddaughter that was the sole survivor of that slaughter. The Orcs had kept her there for a reason,  and they had wanted them to interfere with the plan. The Orcs had them exactly where they wanted them. Perhaps the orcs had been studying the village before attacking, and then held the chiefs last living relation, but for what purpose exactly.

He was still thinking of how intelligent their soon to be opponents, must be to create a perfect plot. when the sound of rapidly approaching heavy footsteps from his rear reached him. The others stumbled into the clearing too, panting heavily, 
"orcs on a huge warg closing in from behind "  Rava said barely able to breathe as  he spoke.
" circle around kira and the girl" Levi ordered
They all stood together, weapons drawn, nervously waiting for the Orcs to step into the clearing.