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The Misfits of Dametreos IIChapter 9: Arrivals
The hazy day was slipping into the afternoon on the Crusader border, and Trevelayn Morches, the wandering mercenary, steered his horse towards the crooked inn to the side of the road. He could use a drink. He’d come after hearing of the news of King Kath’s predicament- how he needed all the men he could get. Trev knew it was the best way to get the hard-needed cash he wanted so badly. Kath was getting more than he bargained for.
Trevelayn took out his saber as he approached the lines.
“What brings you here, Crusader? Looking for money in this Chodan-forsaken land?” quipped a soldier.
“Where is General Vos?” Trev asked.
“He is in the stronghold,” came the reply, “Readying his next counterattack.”
Inside the war room, a large map of the Dark Forest mainland was sprawled over an oaken table. Small markers, divided between Forestmen green, Black Falcon blue, Wolfpack brown and Dark Forest black, were scattered across the map, detailing allied and enemy positions.
“Alright...we have gathered information that Fraun Jerlock, a Forestman ranger, and a large force of elite men have engaged Judas' Falcons and captured Decanis. I hope they intend to help us in this struggle.” Gereld pointed towards Forestmen markers in the Seldan Forest region.
“I also have information regarding the ousted Wolfpack king, Willem Blackcloak. It appears that they are traveling through Crusader lands this very moment. Their intentions are unclear...but if they are enemies, Chodan help us all.”
Several of the commanders in the room nodded somberly.
“So that removes DeCanis...but Nightblack lurks in the shadows,” noted Daimyo Sushima.
“Yes...and we must use shadow to find him.”
“Precisely why I'm here.”
The commanders turned to face Trevelayn, who stood in the doorway.
“Let us prepare to make war, in the name of King Kath.”
A small ship glided across the seas as a northerly wind blew. The ship was all but deserted, one man was at the helm, steering and charting his position simultaneously. Another motion on deck followed, as a black cat hopped onto the rail and looked curiously and a crossbow turret before scurrying off down into the hull. The name on the ship was in plain view: R.S.V. Sheathed Phantom, a name not seen in these parts before.
"22.2 degrees...by 17...no that's not right, it's 11 by...by...17? I'm 11x17 almost at shore...which means less than an hour of sailing, right?" said the man to nobody in particular.
The cat meowed and pawed at him. He took out a telescope and looked forward to the Dark Forest, several Dark Foresters patrolled the coast. He hopped down onto the inner ‘hull’ which was actually open. The sail came down as he pulled the ropes, and the current pulled the boat towards shore. He ran to the front ballista deck and let the anchor drop. He looked at the beach and sighed. Then he petted his cat, pulled a chain lift to a rowboat, and hopped in. Rowing forwards, the water soon became shallow enough to wade in. He drudged onto the beach with the boat following. A man in green stopped him.
“What business have you in the Dark Forest? I have not seen you in these parts before.”
The man solemnly replied, “My name is Sheath, I have come to give a certain man a taste of hell.”
Sheath walked silently through the deep woods, trying to follow the dirt path that wound it's way inland. He could hear the sounds of people talking up ahead, and stopped to listen in. One voice was a deep male, the other a squeaky female peasant.
“What news do you bring, Hyniun? Tell our village of your travels.”
Sheath recognized the man's voice as he spoke. “Little to tell from down south. Just the usual, I'm afraid. Raids from the Wolfpack galleys, Eastern Knight's Kingdom trading vessels with supplies...oh, I should mention one thing, however.”
“Tell me, Hyniun. You can trust a simple peasant girl, even if my father is the town's mayor. I promise I won’t tell anybody, if it is that important.” she pleaded.
“Yes, yes, I will tell. A very...well, strange man came by ship the other day to our South port. He broke the guard line after we denied him entry. None dead, eight wounded. He traveled the road North. I don't come to warn your village, just...don’t tell anyone, I don't want to start widespread panic.” he tried to whisper.
The girl stared in shock. Hyniun stared off into the woods for a moment and then left for a small house on the opposite edge of town. Sheath was worried. News of his arrival was spreading.
A loud clash broke the silence of the night. On the outskirts of the town, two men were locked in combat, sword against sword. One wore all black, and his gold sword shimmered in the night. One was in guard's armor.
“Who are you? Speak out, stranger! You have no business sneaking these parts at night!” the guard said.
“I will kill you if I must. My name is Sheath,” said the man in black.
The clash of swords rang out three more times, as Sheath parried the man’s blows. Then he went offensive. Two clashes rang out as Sheath brought his sword down low and then to the torso, both successfully blocked. A moment later there was a scream of pain and blood shone on Sheath’s sword.
“Right in the neck.” were the only words Sheath said for his victory speech. He looked back at the town and watched several houses light up as people investigated the commotion. Hyniun was the first man to find the dead guard. He looked around and caught a glimpse of gold blade in the forest. He then dashed off, following Sheath’s blade. Sheath turned back and saw Hyniun following him. He stopped in a small clearing in the woods to speak with his adversary.
“Go back, my paladin friend. Your fate doesn’t rest with my blade,” said Sheath.
“If it doesn’t, I will make it!” was the reply. Once again, a metal clash sounded out in the night. Hyniun was in full plate armor with a heavy paladin’s helmet. This made him slow, but tough. Sheath had extremely light chain mail on, nothing to counter a full suited Paladin with. But they say the fight lies with the strategy, and Sheath knew how to take advantage of that. Sheath’s quick strikes to Hyniun’s blade were a delay tactic; he was waiting for Hyniun to reveal his vulnerable underarm. A few seconds later, Sheath’s chance came. He opened up his left side defense, letting Hyniun take an overhead swing to his right. Sheath leaped to his right just as the sword passed him and hit Hyniun's left underarm in a trailing stab. The blade went at least a foot into him. Hyniun made no sound as he collapsed to the ground, not one cry of pain. Sheath pulled off his helmet and looked him in the eyes.
“You'll regret killing me.” Hyniun staggered as he bled.
“I have never felt regret for anything I do. This will be no exception.”
Sheath's sword went into Hyniun’s neck at the spine. He then ran off into the woods, knowing that it was too dangerous to stay for much longer. He knew that what he was searching for would not be here. He moved north, towards the Three Lands Crossroads.
The edge of the Dark Forest was in sight as Sheath ran north. The clearing known as the Three Worlds Crossroads was in plain sight out of the trees. Several men were standing about talking at the intersection, and guards patrolled their sides of the border. Despite the war between the Wolfpack and Dark Forest, the border here seemed fine. As Sheath exited the forest, he could tell he couldn't just walk into the Forestmen kingdom of the north. There would be much action to come.
Sheath waited for just the right time to strike. As the Dark Forest guard changed, he leaped into action, striking hard and fast. First man down was in a Dark Forest uniform. Next to go was a Forestman. Sheath leapt from road to road, bringing his blade's full power onto multiple targets in a matter of seconds. In less than a minute, Sheath had killed six men and wounded four. No enemy even tried to hit him, anybody who survived ran.
“It seems my reputation moves faster than my feet…” Sheath said. Sheath knew that it would be hard to catch up with what he was searching for; it was about to leave the Forestmen territory for the sea.
“But even a fool has a chance...even if it is a fool’s chance.” he remarked. “I will retrieve it…”
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