Forgotten Guardians

Josan was gently awakened by a sweet voice. He cracked his eyes open and peered into beautiful almond eyes. He couldn’t tell whether he was dreaming or awake. He really didn’t care.

“Are you alright, Josan?” Miranda asked as she ran her fingers through his hair. Josan rose very slowly and forced the dizziness from his thoughts. His entire body ached, as if his bones had frozen in place. He propped himself on elbows and took a healthy gulp from the water skin Miranda held to his lips. She wiped his chin as he tried to remain conscious. He felt as if his body was made of lead weights. All he wanted to do was to go back to sleep.

“No, Josan don’t fall asleep. Come on, you have to get up,” Miranda pleaded and gave him a gentle shake. At the thought of Miranda needing him, his eyes popped opened. He looked around the room, the only light coming came from a small candle Miranda had lit. He looked around and saw Uuger playing with the fairy stone around his neck. Wolf sitting near by scratching at his unseen attackers, and Frathe brooding on the opposite side of the cave with his cloak pulled tight around him. Frathe’s head popped up as he noticed Josan awake and his eyes met Josan’s. Frathe’s mouth dropped and his body quivered under the power of those silver eyes. Every muscle in Frathe’s body urged him to run, but he stood fast. He took a deep breath and willed his fear away. In a matter of moments Frathe’s deadly cross-hairs were aimed at Josan’s silver eyes. Josan did not lower his gaze as the double bolted crossbow steadied on him. He was used to people’s reactions and did not move. Miranda jumped in front of Josan like a mother protecting her child. Wolf and Uugcr joined her on either side of Josan as he slumped to the floor.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Miranda screamed at Frathe.

“Out of the way girly, if I have to, I’ll kill you too,” he threatened with a growl. Uuger pulled his little mace out and edged toward Miranda’s side. Wolf bent low and let out a deep growl as he revealed his fangs. Miranda quickly held her hand out to stop Wolf from springing on the goblin. Frathe took a step back from the huge animal. “I will kill you if you force me,” Frathe promised.

“Why do you want kill Josan?” Miranda asked with a sincere voice.

“Don’t you have eyes, girly? Don’t you know what he is?” Frathe asked as if Miranda was insane.

“Yes I do. He’s the man who saved our lives. If it wasn’t for him, you would be nothing but a frozen corpse,” Miranda bellowed with venom as she pointed an accusing finger at Frathe.

Frathe lowered his crossbow as he processed his thoughts. “But look at him, he’s evil, he’s a...,”

“Goblin!” Miranda cut him off, “Many people would think the same thing about you!” Miranda accused, then abruptly turned around and knelt beside Josan. Frathe stood for a moment as memories flooded back to his mind. Memories of his childhood, of villagers throwing stones at him as he approached some children to play with them. People forcing his family out of areas because they had a goblin son. Painful memories of people judging him because of the race he was born to. He suddenly felt ashamed of what he had become, a villager throwing stones. He looked back up to see Miranda bending over Josan as Uuger gathered their cloaks to cover him. Wolf was still facing him, relaxed now, but his crystal blue eyes bored holes straight through him. He hooked his crossbow back onto his belt and cursed himself under his breath as he stomped off into the darkness of the cave.

Miranda knelt beside Josan and tried to keep him warm. She gently brushed a few stray locks of hair from his brow as she tried to make him more comfortable.

“Is Josan going be alright?” Uuger asked as he stared at Josan ’s shallow breathing.

Wolf walked to the other side of Josan and lay down next to him, nuzzling his hand. Miranda watched and could only imagine the friendship that the two shared. They were willing to die for one another without a moment’s hesitation.

“He’ll be fine, he just needs some rest,” she said more to reassure herself than Uuger. Uuger nodded, trusting Miranda’s words. She turned around and looked to see that Frathe had vanished. She cussed under her breath at him. Miranda turned back to Josan and continued brushing his hair as his breath came in short gasps. He needed warmth, but there was no wood to make a fire. He would surely die from the cold. Her face was painted with worry as Josan’s breath became shallower with every passing moment, his head felt as if it was on fire yet Josan shivered under their cloaks.

Then she jumped as she heard rustling behind her. She quickly spun around with her hand on her sword hilt. There stood Frathe with an arm full of moss and dried shrubs. He dropped them to the floor and started arranging the pile. In a few minutes they had a little fire roaring. Miranda looked over at Frathe curousily.

“Well, I don’t want to freeze to death, now do I?” he bellowed and gave a huff.

As time passed Frathe kept the small fire going and sent Uuger out to fetch more fuel. Wolf stayed by Josan’s side as Miranda tended to him. Josan’s breathing was coming easier and his skin was gaining back its color, but Josan started to jerk back and forth and sweat beaded on his forehead. His nightmares were coming to him. Miranda didn’t know what to do. He was to weak from the cold and his would injure himself with his thrashing about. She decided to do the only thing she knew, what her mother used to do for her when she had bad dreams. She laid Josan’s head in her lap, brushed his hair with her hand and began to sing softly a lullaby her mother used to sing to her.

The dream was the same as before, ever since he was little. The woman being raped and beaten and the creatures coming out of the mist to attack him, but then this time the dream was different. A sweet melody played in the distance. It gradually became louder until the entire realm was filled with the sweet sound. It was the most beautiful sound Josan had ever heard. It was filled with love and compassion and made the misty weights holding him melt away. The creatures cringed in pain as the music became louder. The shadowy demon figure screamed in horror and vanished. Only the shadow woman stood alone. She didn’t laugh or mock, she merely stood there, peering through the mist at him.

Miranda continued to sing as Josan settled down and his breathing became normal. Miranda didn’t know if she was helping, but she was amazed how Josan suddenly became calm Uuger curled up beside the fire and fell asleep. Even Frathe had a hard time keeping his eyes open listening to Miranda’s sweet song. She continued to sing until her throat became raw. She laid Josan’s head down gently on a make shift pillow. She stood up and went over to the little fire and started to cook. Josan would need a hot meal when he woke up.

Time passed and Josan awoke to the smell of stew. His body no longer ached from the cold and he couldn’t remember the last time he had slept so well. The cave was warm and cozy. A small fire bumed with a pot of stew hanging over it. Josan looked around and saw Miranda cutting up a loaf of bread with Uuger dancing around eager for a slice. Wolf laid beside him with his head under Josan’s hand. Then Josan gazed upon Frathe sitting on the opposite side of the fire from him. They locked eyes for a moment before the silence was broken.

“Oh, you’re up. Do you feel any better?” Miranda asked smiley warmly.

“Fine, thank you,” Josan said quietly as he continued to stare at Frathe. He had heard everything Frathe and Miranda had said before he passed out.

“Are you hungry?” Miranda asked. She could feel the tension; it was so thick between the two she could cut through it with her sword. “Frathe was kind enough to find us something to start a fire, without it we all would have probably frozen to death by now,” she added, trying to break the silent battle between the two.

Josan dropped his steel gaze and gave a nod of thanks. Frathe returned the nod and went back to his fire poking.

Miranda passed out bowls of steaming stew, at first Frathe turned down the meal, but alter Miranda insisted with a warm smile, he took the bowl and ate in silence. Josan scanned the cave. A snow dift was blocking the entrance and slowing turning to ice from the heat in the cave. They could be trapped in here all winter. He peered down the other end of the cave where a natural tunnel slanted down into the bedrock. It was pitch black and uneven. Only the gods knew what awaited them in that darkness. Josan turned to Frathe and asked, “What do you know of this cave?”

Frathe didn’t even look up as he responded: “All that I know is mosl men who come in don’t come back out and the ones who do are afraid to sleep in the dark in their own bedrooms.”

“Is there a creature of some sort?” Miranda asked.

Frame only shrugged his shoulders and continued to eat his stew. After a few moments, when they were all finished with their meals, they packed up their gear. Josan made a crude torch, and Miranda look Josan’s cloak and adjusted it to fit Uuger. Then the four started to head for the back of the cave towards the tunnel.

“What do you think you are doing? This is the way out,” Frathe bellowed as he pointed to the snow blocked entrance of the cave.

“We can’t get out that way, we have to go through the cave,” Josan said as he continued to the tunnel, not even turning around.

“Didn’t you hear what I said? No one comes back from the Dark Cave!” Frathe said franticily.

“You’re welcome to stay here and wait for the spring thaw,” Josan said casually.

Frathe looked back at the entrance then to the group. He shook his head, cussed about something being crazy and started for the tunnel entrance.

The group traveled through the cave in almost complete darkness. Miranda held the torch up high, but the darkness swallowed the light. Josan and Wolf took up the lead outside of the ring of torch light. Frathe, being a goblin, could switch his eyes to see heat, so Frathe took up the rear. Josan didn’t know about Uuger, but knew that Miranda had a hard time seeing through the darkness. So Miranda and Uuger were the center of the line, protected on either side. The group traveled through e never ending laberinth of tunnels. Every once in a while Josan would signal for the group to halt and stay silent. After what seemed an eternity he would resume their march. The only creatures who stirred were small natural cave inhabits and they quickly scurried away from the approaching light. Time passed as the group made their way deeper into the cave. Miranda was starting to think the village folk were full of it and there was nothing in here, when Josan stopped. He waved them forward as he crouched down and stared at the ground. Miranda kneeled down beside him and saw what he was looking at: a huge paw print in the dirt. It was almost the size of Wolf’s paw, but had six digits and, judging by the scrape marks, had six claws. Josan looked up at Miranda, but she had no idea, Josan and Miranda turned and stared at Frathe who was standing beside Miranda. Frathe looked dumbfounded and shrugged his shoulders. Josan stood back up and signaled to them that they should stay close together.

They traveled on when unitl they entered a huge natural cavern. The ceiling could not be seen with the light from the little torch. Even Josan and Frathe could not make out the outline of the huge roof. The cavern was a wide as a wheat field. Natural alcoves gloomed everywhere and could hide unseen horrors. The group stayed in a tight formation and close to the wall as they began to cross the huge cavem. Frathe again took up the rear. His gut told him that something was out there watching them. He grasped his double crossbow tighter and made sure it was ready to fire as he gazed back and forth looking for unseen dangers.

The whole group felt the same as Frathe. Miranda’s free hand clutched her sword, Uuger slowly pulled out his enchanted mace, Josan made certain his long coat was clear of his swords and Wolfs neck hairs stood on end. Then they saw them. Pairs of red spheres floating in the darkness. More and more popped out of the blackness and began to move along side them. They couldn’t see the beasts’ forms, but they didn’t have to; those piecing red eyes told them all they needed to know. These creatures were not friendly. The group put their backs to the wall while the creatures loomed closer. Frathe raised his crossbow and beaded on one of the floating red eyes, Miranda dropped the torch, pulled her sword and dagger out and took a battle stance. Uuger had his mace in hand and stood flanking Miranda’s legs, and Wolf was down ready to spring, teeth bared and growling. Josan had his swords in hands before the group could even notice his movement.

Then it happened. A pair of red eyes leaped through the air with a sickening howl and came straight for Frathe. The creature never made its target though as Wolf collided with it in midair. Another creature came in charging as the group raised weapons to defend themselves. Even Josan, with his expert night vision, could not see a solid form. So he aimed for the only thing that was solid, its eyes. Claws seemed to form in the darkness and lashed at the group from every angle. Frathe put two bolts in two different pairs of eyes, then quickly pulled out a short saber from under his cloak. The beasts where coming in too fast for him to reload, Frathe jabbed and thrust his saber as he jumped back and forth so the enemy couldn’t find its balance. Josan noticed Frathe’s fighting style and was impressed. Frathe’s small size gave him a disadvantage over larger opponents, but moving quickly and scoring minor hits and retreating, proved he could certainly outmaneuver his opponents. Miranda’s sword and dagger flashed across red eyes and blocked the razor sharp claws. Uuger quickly pounded any thing which came to close to Miranda’s legs. Wolf sprang through the air and landed on another one of the creatures sinking his pearly fangs into the dark form. Josan’s swords went through a deadly dance of steel and blood, slashing and weaving through the baneful claws. It felt like he was hitting a solid object, but nothing was there. Then Josan noticed something, he was separate from the group, so were Frathe and Uuger. These creatures where using tactics against them. They were separating them to pick them off one by one. Josan cursed himself for not seeing it earlier. He just assumed mat these were stupid animals. The first lesson he ever learned was “Know your enemy.” Miranda stood alone as the creatures formed a river of red eyes between them. Josan fought desperately to reach her. There was only ten feet between them, but every time he killed one creature two more took its place. Time was running out. The creatures were closing in on Miranda every moment. Josan slashed and spun around killing row after row of the floating red eyes, but to no avail. Then he saw a pair red eyes leap toward Miranda, she reacted in time, but was knocked backwards into the wall. She hit the wall with a cracking sound and slumped down to the ground. It was over; Josan couldn’t get to her in time.

She was dead. Then a bellowing howl echoed through the cavern as Josan saw a silver streak cross the room. Wolf ran like a arrow in flight, knocking and trampling over anything in his path. On Wolfts back sat Frathe, crossbow up, plugging away bolts at passing beasts, and Uuger sitting behind him swinging his mace at passing eyes and howling like a banshee. They reached Miranda in mere moments. Frathe and Uuger jumped off and the three took up battle stances around the fallen woman. Wolf and Frathe took the flanks and drove back the beasts with renewed vigor. Uuger took the moment to crawl over to Miranda. His little clawed hands brushed away Miranda hair now damp with her blood.

Uuger wailed as his eye’s filled with tears. He shook her with his little arms trying to wake her up, but she didn’t stir.

“Pretty lady, pretty lady, pretty lady!” Uuger screamed again and again as he shook her. Josan finally managed to cut a path through the dark creatures and made his way to Miranda’s side. Uuger screamed and his frail body shook with sobs. Josan noticed the blue light of Uugers fairy stone seemed to pulse brighter and brighter. The more he screamed the more the light grew. Uuger let out a howl which stole the breath away from every living thing in the mountain. The blue light burst out, outlining his small frail body. Then Uuger started to grow, a giant muscular frame took the place of the frail one. His tusks grew to the size of a man’s forearm. Small leathery wings formed on his back, too small for flight, but they spread out behind him. His timid clawed hands became like sickle blades. He finally stopped growing and the blue light faded. Where small Uuger had stood was now a nine foot instrument of vengeance. With an unearthly roar Uuger charged, his deadly clawed hands slashing back and forth wiping out entire rows of the dark beasts. Even Wolf and Frathe had to seek cover as Uuger continued his rampage. The dark creatures soon learned to avoid the enraged beast, but Wolf, Frathe and Josan were still fair game to them. Soon the fighting started all over again, Josan knew that they couldn’t keep this up forever, even with Uuger killing entire scores of them in seconds. Then Josan had only one idea and didn’t even know if it would work or not. “Cover your eyes!” he yelled. With one motion he swung his swords wide, then swiftly brought them to together, he yelled a arcane word above the ring of steel. In an instance the entire cavern was suddenly engulfed by a blinding light. No shadows could escape the drenching light. The creatures howled in pain as they drifted into vapor. Josan never saw if the creatures had true forms, but light seemed to destroy them, or ward them off for the time being.

“A little more warning next time would be nice,” Frathe snarled as he rubbed the spots from his eyes.

After a moment the darkness crept back, but the creatures did not. Josan ran over to Miranda but was intercepted by Uuger. A huge claw hand swiped across his path, Josan barely managed to dodge the blow. Uuger let out a unearthly howl as Josan took a few steps back. Josan had to get to Miranda; blood still ran down the side of her face. Frathe came to Josan’s side as Uuger took another step towards them. Frathe raised his crossbow as if to fire when Josan quickly laid his hand over it. Frathe looked up to meet Josan’s stare, which simply stated, “No, and no arguments.” Frathe lowered his weapon and huffed.

“Uuger, Uuger it’s me, Josan, you know me. I’m your friend,” Josan said pleading. He was too worried about Miranda to care what the others thought. Uuger seemed to register some of what Josan was saying, but still blocked their path to Miranda. “Uuger, let me help Miranda, let me help pretty lady. She is hurt, I need to help her,” Josan stated as he slowly crept closer.

Uuger’s muscles slacked a little as he turned to Miranda, then back to Josan. “Pretty lady hurt,” Uuger said, almost a gentle roar.

“Yes, Miranda, Pretty lady’s hurt, I need to help her, Uuger. Come on, you know me,” Josan said a little more determined this time.

“Josan,” Uuger spoke in his normal gurgle voice.

“Yes, Uuger, Josan,” Josan said softly as he tried to get around the huge creature.

Uuger looked back at Miranda, slowly faint blue light outlined Uuger’s body again. Josan froze in place, not knowing what was coming next. Uuger’s body slowly shrank back to its frail size, his clawed hands went back to normal and his wings disappeared. Uuger stood for a moment, back as his old self, and then collapsed on the floor. Josan ran to Miranda and called back to Frathe to check on Uuger. He fell to his knees next to her, frantically he checked her breathing and her pulse. They were a little faint but still steady. He gently pulled her hair back to look at the nasty gash on her head. He grabbed Uuger’s satchel near by and rummaged through it. He finally found some cloth and carefully wrapped the cut. He didn’t have time to properly bandage it, they needed to get out of here, but it would do for know. He finished the crude bandage, picked up her sword and dagger and placed them in his belt. He looked over to Frathe who had Uuger slung over his shoulder and was picking up Uuger’s little mace.

“How is he?” Josan asked, truly concerned for his little friend.

“He’ll be fine. The change must have taken a lot out of him. He’s just sleeping now,” Frathe said casually as he adjusted Uuger on his shoulder.

“Thanks,” Josan said to Frathe.

Frathe looked up and nodded, “Well, I couldn’t just let you crazy fools die in this god forsaken place could I. You still owe me money,” Frathe said with a smile. Josan knew it wasn’t about the money and returned the smile.

“You’re pretty good with a sword,” Josan said honestly as he picked up Uuger’s and Miranda’s packs.

“You’re not bad yourself. I’ve seen better, but you’re not bad,” Frathe said. In truth he had never seen anyone fight like Josan in his entire life.

Josan walked over and called to Wolf. Wolf strolled over and inspected his fallen friends. Satisfied Miranda and Uuger were alright, Josan and Frathe gently strapped Uuger to Wolfs back and Frathe insisted on carrying the packs, saying Josan could not carry both Miranda and the packs, or soon he would have to carry everyone out of here. Josan handed over the packs, and gently picked up Miranda.

They walked to the other side of the cavern and back into the tunnels.