Saturday, August 1, 2015

Hakaar - Chronicle 26.1 - Infiltration

We walked quietly through the tunnels. The light formed in pockets as the roof overhead opened to the sky, letting in shafts of brilliant light. Floki led, but I followed closely behind, looking into the darkness where he could not. I felt my armor tugging at me as I moved, needing to take extra caution to keep from the metal buckles from clinking against Duncan's breastplate.

Maybe I've outgrown this. I thought against the darkness. Silah was lingering there, but she had been unnervingly quiet.

Floki put out a hand just ahead of me. I repeated the gesture to those behind me.

"I hear voices. Orcs." He said with a hoarse whisper.

The tunnels were lightening up again as we moved deeper. Floki moved to a wall, quietly, and turned and looked at us with his finger to his lips. His other hand held his bow with an arrow held nocked loosely.

Bromm moved forward and looked, I saw his mouth counting out the heads he could see. Floki looked in and shook his head. I managed to peek beyond and saw many of the orcs looking at readying for their nighttime. The sun was high outside, but there were drapings that hung over the openings in the roof, giving a reasonable amount of shade from its penetrating rays.

"... but with the giants, we are stronger! We will push these humans back and take their lands for our own." I could see the orc standing over small fire pit that held no fire, looking down at another. Both wore collars around their necks.

Slaves. And they think themselves free. I thought with distaste.

Floki flagged us back into the cave with a concerned look.

"There were at least twelve that I could see. I can only guess that there will be more. The caves on the sides could be full of them." His trepidation was apparent. "Whatever happens next, there may be no going back."

"We can only go forward." Tagaern said quietly. "We're here for a purpose."

"Vengeance is not a purpose!" Sig hissed then pointed into the cave, "Going out there could mean any one of our deaths."

"No." Tagaern lowered his head, "This isn't about Duncan. We need to close the gap or we're going to have far worse problems to deal with."

I nodded, feeling heat rise in me with Duncan's memory. I held it for a moment then I let it fade.

"Whatever we slay along the way will be in Duncan's memory." Tagaern said, "I'll take that as consolation. For now…"

His voice trailed off as his turned to look into the darkness.

"I don't agree with taking this head on." Sig said, "I'm sure that there is another way."

Floki was nodding and looking to the rest of us. It hurt me to think we would come this far to turn back for safety.

"I can't leave. This is what needs to be done. I am committed." I whispered, more to myself than the others.

There was a quivering response from the sword in my hands.

"My beast. We align perfectly. We both understand that we can't turn back with so much at risk." Silah whispered through the dark corridors of my mind.

Tagaern nodded toward me and spoke gruffly, "I go with him and once this starts, we press until the end."

His choice of words were ominous.

Bromm seemed quiet and slightly detached from the conversation, but he was absently working the musket trigger, releasing the hammer and locking it back with a click.

"Shall we then?" Bromm finally said, moving toward the entrance.

Tagaern coughed slightly, "You should probably hold off on firing that thing until we know there aren't any others."

"Oh?" Bromm said glancing at him.

He brought the gun up and sighted down the barrel.

"You should probably get ready to move." Bromm said.

Tagaern's eyes widened as the rifle jumped in Bromm's hands. The sharp report rolled over all of us and set my ears to ringing. The barrel shot gouts of smoke and flame toward the standing orc, sending him reeling forward over the orc sitting at his feet.

"Follow me." I growled as I bolted into the cave.

I moved around a high standing tent and caught one standing alone. I brought the blade down hard on him, feeling a the blade tremble in my hands. There was a humming in my ears coming from Silah that was setting my teeth on edge.

Tagaern moved to the opposite side and rained blows down on another orc. The rest of the group, except Floki, fell in around the tents, using them as cover. I could see several orcs readying bows and looking for targets.

There was a heartbeat as another orc rounded the corner and saw me. His face twisted with disgust as his eyes met mine. I felt my pulse pounding my head as I rushed him and thrust the greatsword clean through him. His eyes went vacant with the twist of the blade and I withdrew Silah easily with a sharp tug. Tagaern had felled his behind me and moved up on my side.

"Shield wall. We'll stick together. Yes?" Tagaern grunted, looking suspicious of my expression.

"Keep up if you can." I grit my teeth with my words.

I was feeling deadly, but the grimace that came from Tagaern made me recalculate.

Shield wall it is, then. I thought amidst Silah's throes from another kill.

There was a bright flash at the far end of the cave. A few orcs stumbled around, covered in a sparkling dust. Two of them seemed to be blinded by it.

We moved toward those that were blinded and formed up together. The remaining orcs had been attempting to establish a defensive line, but having difficulty with what Sig had been throwing at them. I could hear shouts from the other side of the tents telling me that there was more action going on than I could see.

I stepped in front of the line and readied my blade. An archer peeked at the end of the defensive line fired off an arrow, sinking it deep between the slats of my armor, then fell back into the caves. I could feel it like a pinprick against the rage that was consuming my vision. The line of orcs grimaced at me and the first charged headlong with his weapon held high.

I swept my blade up catching him in the gut and pulling free, nearly severing his spine. The next approached and laid his blade into me, carving up a chunk of my left arm, my shield arm, in the process. Tagaern moved to my side and slashed at him in response.

I could see a yellowish smoke rising from the other side of the tent. Coughing and gagging erupted from the thick, chalky yellow cloud.

Sig's magic at work. I thought, nodding to myself, remembering the same smoke in the belltower at Kol's temple.

The archer shooting from the cave sank another arrow in me.

"I need him off of me!" I shouted over my shoulder.

In response, I heard a shot ring out from the musket, hitting the archer squarely, and giving him a new target to focus on. Moments later, I heard some swearing from Bromm as he fiddled with his weapon. The archer shot an arrow his way, prompting more swearing.

"Bromm? You need help?" I shouted back.

"I've got this." He said with a darkly heated rasp.

"Hakaar, focus front. They can do their jobs. You do yours." Tagaern said while slashing at the orc ahead of him. I saw more orcs stumbling around near the back of the cave, but one had pointed and arrow up to a floating Sig and let one loose, hitting him squarely.

"I have to get back there." I said aloud.

"You focus on the threat in front of you, soldier." Tagaern growled, annoyed.

"He is in front of me." I growled and charged the next orc who looked to face me.

I swung and my blade skittered off of his armor and his eyes gleamed as he attempted to return the blow which bounced off Duncan's breastplate as I brought the blade around. The orcish archer to my left was leveling another arrow at Bromm when a shot rang out and putting a hole through his head.

Tagaern continued to press, his armor deflecting the majority of blows from the orcs around him. I could see Sig pointing to the orcs that he hovered over, and they would slump to the ground. One continued to elude him, but a series of arrows sunk into him in quick succession, sending him earthward. The gagging had ceased from a few of the others, but the thick yellow cloud persisted, blocking vision for whatever was happening on that side of the cave.

I brought the blade around to the grinning orc and lopped off his head. Yelling at the next one and seeing him grow wary as I approached. He attacked low as I approached, piercing the layer of armor and gashing the outside of my left leg. I responded with a deep gash through his chest, loosing his armor, and baring his ribs and guts. He fell backwards in a spurt of blood, dropping his blade and choking wildly.

Each death set Silah humming more fervently, there's was a power building in her and it made me apprehensive. I knew that she gained potency with each kill, but I was unsure of what it would mean other than the cryptic words she had said about it. I did know that each time she gained power, she seemed to crawl even deeper into every crack of my brain that she hadn't had access to before. I was worried, but there was too much at hand to give it any more focus.

Tagaern had moved toward where Sig was hovering. I was starting to feel weak from blood loss, but I moved forward to follow him. Bodies were littered with arrows as the cloud dissipated. I could see Danin moving up from the far side of the cave with Floki and Tenner not far behind.

Tagaern sunk a blade deeply into one of the sleeping ones and offered the last to me. I shook my head, pressing back against the unsettling humming that seemed to penetrate everything. There was a moment of need that slipped briefly from Silah as I waved Tagaern forward. Her need faded quietly as his blade ended the sleeping orc.

"See if they have anything we can use." Floki said, as he quickly strode forward.

He picked up a quiver of arrows and tested some of their bows.

"These were scouts. Lighter, more about mobility." He jostled one of the arrow-filled bodies with his foot. "And these bows are very decent. I'd suggest you both take one and grab a quiver of arrows. Better make that two, just in case."

He glanced between Tagaern and I with the words. I picked a bow up, tested the string, and could immediately tell what he meant. The pull on the bow itself was considerable and their craftsmanship was impressive. I slung one and gathered two quivers while Tagaern did the same.

We fanned out and moved through the tunnels, listening and looking for signs of movement.

"The giant's tracks lead this way. They're a couple days old, at least." Floki said as he mused over them.

"I found these jars." I pulled out a wax sealed jar with three slashes on it.

Danin looked on then gave a few quiet words and looked closely at it.

"That looks like a healing tincture." He said with a nod. "We should find as many of these as we can."

I looked at the jar and popped the lid, drinking some of the thick warm liquid. It was like drinking blood with a sharp herbal taste to it. I could feel it course through me and I watched as the wounds where the arrows lay and the cuts to my arm and leg almost completely sealed up. Danin approached me as the healing took place.

"I'm still feeling it, but these seem to work well." I told him.

"The ones with more slashes on them are stronger than the lesser slashes." He said, "Let me take care of that for you."

He motioned to the still moist wounds and I could feel the power from Derum Ebbar flow from him into me, knitting the remainder of my wounds.

"Someone come and listen to this," Sig called from across the way standing at a series of caves that stretched out of sight. "There's something strange going on in there. It sounds like shifting sand?"

As they gathered, I looked through the remaining tents and gathered what I could, then moved to where the rest of them were. I spent time handing out the vials and listening to the conjecture about what lay beyond.

"I'm not concerned about what lay beyond here. I want to get to where the giants are, that's where the tree will be." I said frankly, feeling like time was slipping by.

"I'll look into this quickly." Sig said, and he began to fly, darting between the seams of fabric covering the roof.

The sound of sand shifting grew more agitated and almost immediately after that, Sig returned and touched the ground.

"We don't want to go back there. Nothing good that can come of it." Sig said with a worried look, "It's like a sacrificial pit, with a very large snake in it."

Everyone glanced at each other. Floki had already moved to the entrance where the giant's tracks led.

We began to move deeper into the tunnels through the darkness. As the light waned, I took the lead, seeing considerably further than Floki in the darkness. Sig had touched a few of Floki's arrows in the quiver to give the others some light to walk by.

There was a moment of quiet as we moved along the long dark tunnels. The paths wavered only slightly. They seemed hewn by more than natural means.

Should I be worried? I thought, probing the cacophony that was coming from Silah.

"Our enemies should worry." Her echoing voice sounded as if it was taking considerable control to keep her voice level.

You've been quiet and cryptic since we left the plains. I felt anxious with the thought. I'm not sure what charge we're leading, but I'm near certain that some of us won't be coming back.

"If any of us falls, it will be for the greater good." She said, with some sullenness. "I have enjoyed us and hope that we continue, but I've avoided this for far too long."

Her form appeared as she spoke, more vibrant, more majestic than before. She glowed softly and the usual consuming darkness was replaced by starlight with an ensemble of props that she hadn't pulled on before. Her long chair, though, was ever present. She was a vision, herself, glowing eyes and now luminescent skin shone through the thin fabric of the silver laced black dress.

As I gazed on her and knowing the certain danger we were in, it brought with it an ache of a future that may not happen. A future where I die, fading into history and from her memory, forgotten.

"Not forgotten, my beast. Honored and remembered. A stalwart among those who held the line against those who would take your home from you." Silah slid close as she said it, tracing her hands down my chest. "But to fight and survive, you will see this world unroll before you. There is so much more that you haven't seen.

"Stay with me. Keep me company for a time more." Silah whispered looking at me with adoration pushing back her sullenness and brightening again.

What if we don't succeed? What if they were right that it is certain death to come here? The thought tore at me, making me feel hopeless.

Her hands fell away from me and her expression turned disdainful and her burning eyes bored into me.

"Stop with your doubt. Quit placating these others at the expense of yourself. You keep your own greatness locked behind a sense of contrition that's unbecoming. It's something I've cautiously avoided for far too long." She said pointedly.

In the starlight of my mind, she took my hands and held them tightly.

"You know who is truly forgotten?" She said, her glowing eyes now burning red, "I am. I don't even know my real name. For as long as I've been in this form, I've been nothing more than a tool, a weapon. One that has been forgotten and unneeded, until now. I didn't ask for this, but I still feel compelled."

"What we have shared has shown me so much more than that. Yet, I can't change my path. You can change yours. Nothing need disappear if you let your greatness shine. Your adoration has given me so much more than you know, but I understand that I will slip away and disappear into the ages again, unneeded until my time comes."

I grimaced at the intensity, feeling her ancient power just below the surface. I fidgeted under her gaze. She had come to terms with all these things she'd been required to do. It was fortuitous to forget those she bonded with, but it made me wonder if she may have been tuned to forget the wrong memories.

"You have the freedom to reach out and claim greatness. You've been too timid, too meek, to step up and take it for yourself." Her grip tightened on my hands uncomfortably as her intensity grew, "Your memory can live on if you're bold enough to claim it. Who are you, Hakaar?"

"There's an incline up ahead." Floki said, as he slowed his pace, "We should be quiet and scout ahead."

I broke from my conversation with Silah, feeling the reverberations of the energy flowing from her and the intensity of her gaze.

Who am I? I dipped my head and grimaced.

Bromm moved up, but Tagaern put a hand out.

"Are you going to…" Tagaern eyed the musket in Bromm's hand.

"What makes you think I'd do something as silly as that?" Bromm said wryly and then stepped quietly away.

Tagaern looked at me with concern wrinkling his forehead. I shrugged in response.

There was a deep quiet as Bromm and Floki ascended the ramp. I dug around in my thoughts, returning to where I had been speaking with Silah just earlier, but she had retreated, leaving me to think in the darkness of my own mind. However, the humming emanating from her was ever-present.

I was startled as Floki's voice pressed in on my side.

"There's two at the top. I couldn't get an angle on what else is in there." Floki spoke low while the others gathered close. "We need to take them quietly, if we can."

I nodded in the darkness, realizing that others might not be able to see.

"I could call out to them in orcish." I suggested. "Or we could send Silah up to draw them down and attack?"

"They have orders to report anything suspicious. Anything too strange would raise an alarm." Sig added.

"What do you suggest?" I shrugged, looking at Sig then the others.

Bromm whistled sharply, echoing off of the walls.

"Probably something like that?" Bromm said and stepped back against the wall.

I fell back and prepared to run ahead and strike with the others. Floki was on one knee with his bow out and Tenner ready to spring on command.

The two guards talked back and forth then both turned and descended down the ramp into the darkness. I could see their silhouettes, but knew that in a few moments, we'd be in clear view of them knowing how well they could see in the darkness.

I heard the rapid strum from Floki's bow, sending a number of arrows into the orc on the right. On Floki's command, Tenner ran up and knocked him off of his feet, sending him to the ground. Tagaern rushed the orc to the left and laid down a blistering attack engaged him while the others fell in line. Danin approached with his axe and connected, but did not land a killing blow. While the orc on the right struggled on the ground, Tenner knocked the other orc to the ground, tugging at his leg. Another few arrows from Floki silenced the right orc immediately, but the other bellowed before Tagaern landed the killing blow.

I was on approach to engage when the bellowing happened. Bromm and I pushed past the others and ran to the entrance of the cave, looking for runners. One looked back at the opening and caught sight of me as he moved into the far cave. Bromm swore under his breath.

"I see him, but he's already into the cave." Bromm called out behind him.

I took position behind the first tent and Tagaern fell in behind me. He was wiping his blade, readying it for the next victim. I looked back and nodded at him, rushing around the side and barreling into an orc that was on the far side of the tent. I landed what felt like an impressive blow, but the orc gave a hearty laugh and struck a blow in return.

"Abomination!" He seethed in orcish through bloodlined teeth as he faced off with me.

Tagaern got the best of him, though, rushing up from behind and piercing him through from behind. I grit my teeth and spat.

That one should have been mine! I raged with the thought.

I turned to the next victim, seeing Danin moving into the middle of a converging force. I was bewildered by the move, but rushed to assist. Many of the orcs emerging from the tents were wearing very little armor yet seemed much bulkier, heartier than the ones we had faced earlier. I Pushed forward as they converged, seeing a handful more emerge from surrounding caves and stream toward Bromm and Floki near the entrance of the cave.

Three pressed in on Tagaern and I as we pushed toward Danin. I took another blow, bloodying my shoulder, but returned the favor as I gouged at his side. The orc still stood, his face sneering at me. The falchions they bore were heavy and dangerous, biting deep with each blow. I was bloodied and feeling vulnerable as I watched Sig swoop in to help Danin, but after taking a blow from a blade, Sig had to fall back. Danin shot skyward, using his own ability to fly, slipping out of the clutches of the orcs that began to surround him.

As their targets left, all orcs eyes turned on Tagaern and I.

"Fall back!" Sig yelled toward me, "Get to the cave entrance."

I glanced at Tagaern.

"You're right behind me, yes?" I said, blood covered brow furrowed in earnest.

"Right behind you, boy." He said, looked like he had put his armor to good use, but still had a pained look on his face.

I dodged through the converging force, seeing slumped bodies here and there that Sig had sent to the ground with his words. The orcs roused them and they stood again. I grit my teeth in annoyance.

Why do we have such a hard time working together? I thought angrily, watching us scatter in disarray as we fell back under the heavy blades.

"Hold the line here!" I said, turning to face the encroaching enemy, forming a semi-circle at the cave entrance.

I grabbed one of the vials with three strikes on it and drank it, feeling that this one could be poison. I attempted to resist the effects, but felt the healing eddies take hold. Danin called out and I felt another burst of that light energy fill me. I looked down at my healing wounds and felt immediately refreshed. I grinned menacingly at the first orc that approached me.

I struck as he approached, slashing neatly through his already bloodied body. I watched him fall as I laid him open. There was a blinding crescendo that filled my mind as the orc's body fell limp. Silah's power erupted from within, filling every crack and crevice of my mind. I could feel her reaching just under my skin, testing, feeling, being one with me. I fought against the prickling feeling.

What are you doing? The thought echoed in the darkness, but there was no response. I felt an all consuming ache as her power took hold. I was suddenly feeling very uncertain of what lay ahead.

I stepped forward, heaving the silently surging greatsword, cutting another bloodied orc down. Floki was unleashing arrows as quickly as he could place them in his bow. And Bromm's shots rolled over us, taking down one orc and deeply wounding another. Danin went to Tenner's aid after a bloodying strike that sent him yelping away, leaving Floki undefended. Floki took his vengeance immediately, filling the prone orc full of arrows.

Tagaern moved to my side.

"The final push, right?" He said with a grisly smile, his face bespectacled with red.

I nodded and we rushed the remaining two. My blade bit deep into the wounded orc, sending him to the ground quickly. I slashed at him while he lay, just to be sure he wouldn't get up again. Silah's reaction had become more subtle as the orc bled out at my feet.

Tagaern struck, but a round of arrows and a gunshot punched through the remaining orc, sending him crumpling to the ground.

I was breathing heavily, looking at the others and seeing if there was any other movement from the caves. My head was spinning and I was having trouble seeing clearly. Moments passed as we watched and waited, expecting something else to emerge, but the caves and passageways remained silent.

I looked down at myself, wearing the blood of so many. It mixed readily with my own. I was a violent half-breed taking vengeance against his violent ancestors. The thought had a certain irony to it. Silah glimmered with gore and viscera in the filtered sunlight. I looked closely at the blade, trying to peer into what was happening in there, but she had again fallen quiet. I ripped cloth from one of the tents and wiped the blade off slowly, carefully.

I must have been there for some time, standing alone. The others had filtered through the tents and gathered a pile of items.

"We found more of those jars. Just a couple this time, but the these blades and this armor is very well made." Sig announced as others added to the pile.

I looked down at the armor and blades. I picked up a blade and hefted it.

"These would fetch a fair price in Dowry. I bet Blackrose would love to do an exchange with us." Sig continued. "I'll fit as many as I can in this haversack, but you and Tagaern should probably grab one as well."

I shrugged, looking at the blade.

This is the last thing we should focus on. I thought. I won't need it, but I'll carry it.

"You may need it." A whisper and the feeling of a knowing smile came from Silah, she seemed far away and … different.

I tried to focus in on what she said, but Sig continued to speak.

"You may want to consider this armor, too." Sig had hunched down and was putting the swords and armor carefully in his bottomless bag.

The sentimental value of Duncan's armor was painful to consider, but I had been feeling the weakness of my mobility in this armor since we came to the cave.

"I'll try it and see." I said, a bit begrudgingly as I unbuckled the breastplate with the Grasslions symbol etched right above the heart and set it gently on the ground. "It's there for whoever wants it."

While the leather armor fit nicely, I felt extremely vulnerable. It was much different than having a wall of steel between you and a sword. Yet, I felt fast and deadly.

"We best get moving." Tagaern spoke with an annoyed expression as he watched the goings on. "Who knows what will be waiting for us."

I sighed at the thought. I could see Sig and Danin looking especially wearied from their expended effort. I had a few of the tinctures in my hand, but I couldn't imagine that it would be enough to save me when facing down a gigantic maul. The giants were here, and we were nearly too spent to approach, but this had to be done. There was no other way.

"We're almost there. They're counting on us to close the breach." I said flexing my arms and rolling my head side to side while I tightened my grip on Silah.

And they don't even know it. I thought with a wry grin.

(Get to know Akeron.)

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