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The Misfits of Dametreos IIChapter 4: Return To Chaos
Radjar stood on the deck of his father’s galleon Tiderunner, watching the waves on the sea. He was returning home to the Dark Forest. The sky grew darker each passing moment, storms raged on the Fell Isle, in both weather and man. The war was at stalemate, the Wolfpack was unable to take Hemlock due to the efforts of a brave mercenary named Valus Naras. He was excited to meet this man. Strange shapes, however, blotted the horizon.
“What is that?” cried Firar, squinting.
“Ships,” said Gereld, peering through a telescope. “Two from the fleet of Burtrand Storm-Rider.”
“Pirates!” shouted Hade.
“They are drifting,” grumbled Gereld.
The ship neared the two other ones. They were a mess, several of the masts broken or close, and dead bodies massed up on the deck. It appeared there had been a great battle on these.
“One is the Rosa Marie,” Vos informed, “A Falcon hunter ship. There was a pirate battle just a bit off Crusader shore...but how did they get all the way here in such short time?”
The group’t faces went pale. They turned to the ships.
“Let’t go aboard them then,” suggested Radjar, “Maybe we will find out.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” whined Firar, “I think we already know!”
Bunches of evil-looking vampires crawled out of the ports on the ship.
“Fright Knights must’ve found them,” Hade sighed.
“Well,” said Vos, “we can’t turn back now.”
The group drew their weapons, and waited for the inevitable. Vampires in dark armor, wielding wicked swords, jumped with inhuman ease over the gap between the ships. One got close, and Gereld slit him open with his broadsword. More came and charged them, brandishing cutlasses and maces. Bloody limbs thudded on the deck as the crewmen where slaughtered. The group killed the Vampires that came near, but soon they were surrounded.
Firar gutted one with his scimitar, Hade slashed one with his axe. Radjar attacked with speed and ferocity, killing several, while Gereld fenced with the swordsmen.
“Aha! We have them dead!” cried Gereld in victory.
“No, they are coming around for another pass!”
Hade rushed with berserker rage at the next band of Vampires, killing most, when one came behind him with a long blade.
“Hade, watch out!” yelled Radjar.
The Vampire slashed with his blade, and the next thing they knew, Hade’s torso slipped off his legs. Firar charged him and shoved his scimitar through his armor viciously.
“You’ll pay for the blood you've spilt this day,” Firar cursed.
Radjar hacked through ranks three deep, and Gereld killed his way to he end.
“There are too many!” he screamed.
Radjar suddenly let out a great cry. A burning pain filled his chest where his scar was. A burst of energy blasted around the area, sending waves shooting out. The next thing he knew, Radjar was lying on the ground, and it was raining dead vampires.
One week later, Radjar sat on his throne, a grim, brooding look on his face. He stared at General Girth Hammertong, leader of the Wolfpack siege.
“Did you believe you could defeat us?”
There was no reply.
“Did you? How many lives did you have to take before you could be satisfied for your fill?”
The general hung his head.
“Three of my friends and my father are dead because of you! What would drive a man to commit such murder against innocent men?!”
The general began to rise and walk away, when Valus Naras pulled his sword against his throat.
“Answer him,” he whispered.
“It’s nothing personal,” scoffed the general, casually.
“YOU SCUM! YOU CARE NOTHING FOR INNOCENCE! Valus, take him out, and kill him at once! Such villainy will not be tolerated by me!”
The general was dragged away. Valus turned to Radjar.
“King, you should not be so bitter.”
“I have no choice. My father and his most trusted friends are dead, while the King of Three Daggers sits amongst seas of gold. Justice must be done, and I plan to deliver it.”
Valus nodded. Just then Captain Vos stormed through the throne room doors.
“Sir, we have a report of Wolfpack forces coming out of the forest. They've already burned Loughton.”
“Did you attempt to stop them?”
“Yes sir, but they were more mobile and came upon us before we could retaliate. We barely escaped with our lives.”
“Alright. Summon my steed and your best men. Valus, ready your troops for battle. We will end this now.”
The Wolfpack raiders, six thousand strong, marched steadily through Dark Forest lands. Behind them was the burning wreckage of Loughton. A great brown and red mass headed toward Hemlock. Suddenly, a huge, screaming horde of horsemen charged out of the hills. The lines broke into chaos. Gereld Vos, wielding a wavy blade and a round, gold-studded shield, charged the commander in full gilded armor. The Wolfpack soldier turned in disbelief, and with a great CLAP! he smashed him in the facemask. Gereld flew off his horse and thudded onto the ground. He peeled the dented helmet off his face and went at it again. This time the soldier was not so lucky. Gereld's sword crushed through his skull. The Wolfpack troops scattered in every direction under the exertion of the massive Dark Forest army. A bristly wall of pikemen couldn't stop the Slayers as they galloped, wailing, into their midst. Valus’ arrows felled ranks three deep, and he took no time to reload. Within an hour the entire Wolfpack force was annihilated.
Valus ran towards the trapdoor with rangers. Now Wolfpack crossbowmen were rallying ready to decimate the Dark Forest rangers. Valus jumped into the back of a nearby wheelbarrow, and cut the rope preventing it from going downhill. Two of the rangers jumped in with him, but the rest couldn't catch up the speeding cart. The next thing they knew, the rangers were shot in the back.
Valus tried to steer the cart as it raced down a hill, but it was all in vain. The wheelbarrow rammed full speed into stone fortification. The three men were flung out of the cart, but the wall prevented them from moving very far. Valus got up looking for the direction to the trapdoor. Down Hemlock Road. to the left.
“My arm!” yelled one of the rangers, “It's broken.”
“Either come on, or become a prisoner,” Valus said as he ran off towards Hemlock Road.
Valus and only one of the rangers ran towards the secret passageway.
“We already stocked the supplies in the tunnel,” said the ranger.
“Good we need a quick getaway,” answered Valus. A platoon of Wolfpack soldiers ran to cut off the two men.
“I’m out of arrows!” yelled the ranger, “You go on, I'll hold them off.”
The brave soldier unsheathed his sword, and spearheaded a gallant, but suicidal assault against the platoon. Valus kept running forward, but turned to see the ranger barely holding his own against two Wolfpack swordsmen. Valus turned a corner and ran into a nearby building. He ripped open the trapdoor, and ran down the steps. There were two Dark Forest soldiers gathering supplies.
“Hurry!” yelled Valus, gathering a handful of swords.
Soon all of the supplies were collected. Valus made it to the keep to find a battle raging. Valus quickly joined trying to push back the Wolfpack army. It just wasn’t enough, soon the small Dark Forest force was forced only to the throne room.
“Come on men, push them back,” Valus screamed. Captain Retas tried to rally the troops, but the battle was just utter chaos. Four Wolfpack axe-men charged Valus screaming bloody murder. Valus felled three, but the fourth’s axe grazed Valus's head, almost scalping him. Valus dropped to the ground blacking out as he fell. Then all went black.
Valus awoke with a bandage around his head. A servant walked in with a tray full of food.
“What happened?” Valus asked.
“When you blacked out during the battle, Captain Retas saw you fall. He yelled out charging the Wolfpack. Our rangers finally rallied under Retas, and slowly but surely we started to push them back. Then the king came back. Our troops pushed the Wolfpack army to the forest. We would have pursued, but Radjar decided to stay.” replied the servant.
“I need to see Radjar,” said Valus.
“As you wish, Captain,” answered the servant.
Soon Valus was up and about helping rebuild doors and gates.
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