Rebirth (Mobtalker)

Chapter 12| Dark Paladin

Jake was furious. He watched as a swarm of creepers too big to be held back rolled over Woodborough like a tidal wave and continued on their course somewhere far in the distance. With all the residents at his back hidden in the treeline, he watched.

"Assholes didn't even want us," he growled. Dozens of innocents died in the wake of explosions. Dozens he could have saved if Raze had shown himself. "We were just in their way."

A small hand found his shoulder and he turned to see the face of Amy, her pink hair ragged and her in her night gown she looked more angry than he was.

"We need to find somewhere to stay," she said hoarsely, her eyes puffy and red.

Jake nodded and joined the rest of the villagers. The oldest of them were huddled together in a circle discussing the plan of action. Without food, shelter or safety they were as good as dead out here. Jake could survive by himself and maybe help a few but not with children among them. He sat down on a fallen log and crossed his legs to listen to the heated discussion. Two factions were made already to decide the course of action. A short balding man in black robes was shouting in fury at a hunched man with a flowing white beard. Spittle plopped everywhere as the man in black robes roared at his opposition.

"We played by their rules and now they attack! This is your doing Edwin!" He waved his hands madly, his beady eyes piercing onlookers causing Jake to feel uneasy.

The opposing man, however, was unaffected. "I did what was best. You would have us go seek aid from Eldar and side ourselves with the enemy?" He answered.

"The enemy? The enemy?! You fool! Siding with the Alliance would have us killed! See what being their dogs brought upon us!" He pointed an accusing figure at the ruins of their village in the distance. "Destroyed by our own allies!"

"Now now, there must be an explanation as to why the creepers have been agrivated," the man with the white beard began to say but the crowd was mostly won over by the bald man already.

"What's going on?" Jake asked Amy, his voice nearly drowned out by the village folk.

"The man in the black robes wants us to seek aid from Eldar. An enemy of the alliance. His name is Reave and he is the village priest," she said before pointing at the bearded man. "And that is our chief Edwin. He wants us to go to the capitol city of the creeper society, Celia, to seek an explanation and aid."

Jake nodded in understanding and turned back to the dispute. Most of the villagers took to Reave and only a tiny portion stood with Edwin.

"And what about our new resident Jake? You have done great work for us prior the attack, boy. Who will you follow?" Reave asked, turning his beady eyes towards Jake.

All eyes were on Jake now. He glanced around and felt from certain that this was a decision that carried a lot of weight in the minds of the villagers.

"Well, I uhh," he began and remembered the ferocity of the attack and Cupa and Silk. "I want to follow Edwin to the capitol. I think it would be best for me to find out what caused it, but all who want to leave should do so."

This answer made the man scowl, but he nodded in acceptance and began preparations to leave with his followers even as some of them switched to Edwin's side. With a torn heart Jake watched as some of the smaller children were led away with their parents choosing to go. Did he make the right choice? He found relief when Amy stayed with Edwin. Her presence was a reassurance he was grateful for.

"Thank you son," Edwin approached him and said. "That was a difficult choice I'm sure."

"It's nothing chief," was the head hearted reply. "What is the deal with Reave anyway? He seems... eccentric."