Esveldza: 'The Lonely Child of Fire'

Chapter XXIX- Preemptive Attack

Chapter XXIX

Pre-emptive Attack

The evening meal was more excitable than even the previous night. The guards from Tivess had a hard time trying to fit in but the dwarves were overly boisterous and so some joined in eventually. The dwarves were enjoying their meal so much because some had accepted it may be their last, others were just happy to finally be facing Soulstone head on.

I did not enjoy the meal as much; I could not help but feel apprehensive about the next day. Even though Kaylend said we would not fight unless needed, the advantages for Hearstone to attack tomorrow outweighed that of the disadvantages; they would not expect an attack so out of the blue, they would not expect the support of Tivess, they would learn of the Tivess support in the next few days so the element of surprise was running thin…

That night I could not sleep well, every few hours I woke, thinking that all had left me there and were on the battlefield dying while I slept the day away. Every time I woke I awoke Noomkiara too, she hummed to me to help me get back to sleep but it did not last.

 When I awoke for the last time in the early hours of morning, feeling tired yet too nervous to sleep, I dressed myself and petted Noomkiara until Salvator entered my room to wake me.

He saw me fully dressed and his eyes softened, he sat next to me on the bed and stroked my back, “I could not sleep the night before my first battle either,” Salvator began, I looked at him, his voice seemed lessen the anxiety I felt. I had been in a battle before and I had killed people but I think that was all the more reason as to why I felt so scared. “Before I was a warrior for Tivess I travelled Esveldza surviving on little money and resources,” I had heard of some of Salvator’s travels before, “But it was in Dreadwill that I had my real first real fight. I had heard of the old dungeons full of fortune for anyone brave enough to try and explore. I had just graduated from Arveltri in range, melee and magic and so I felt invincible. However as I entered this dungeon I quickly learnt how inexperienced I truly was. A large group of Dreadwill bandits had been living in this dungeon and I barely escaped with my life.”

The thought of a young naïve Salvator was almost comical, no doubt the Salvator now could clear out any dungeon or bandit base. “Years later I returned, the bandit organisation had become quite the hassle for Dreadwill, even for their standards,” Salvator’s eyes shone with nostalgia, “I destroyed their camp and I returned the money to the nearest village which in turn paid me almost as much as I had found in the first place.”

Salvator looked between me and Noomkiara, “I was not a rider back then. I cannot deny that I worry for you all but I have faith that this is only the beginning of many battles to come.”

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A few minutes later we met up with Daarken, Volcarn, Sarben and Solonya who convinced everyone she would be more useful helping us. The city was quiet, they did not know of our plans for Kaylend did not announce anything for fear of spies.

There were numerous tunnels that we were to travel through and then meet up in front of the mountain. Our tunnel was pitch black and Volcarn barely fit. Salvator was at the rear with a torch, Solonya was in the lead also with a torch.

We were silent for a few minutes when Sarben groaned aloud, I felt the urge to hit him but I could not see well enough anyone. He muttered something and a bright light exploded behind me, I turned to see Sarben had used a spell to create a light.

“Do you not think that you should save your power for the battle?” Daarken said, he was in front of me. I could see his eyebrow raised from the light created by Sarben. Sarben refused to answer, clearly pleased that he had a real reason to use the spell he had mastered months ago.