Paladin the path begins

Luna felt sick, the waggons rumbling over the cobbled roadway rocking her stomach violently. It had been like this for the last few days and she remembered why she avoided coming this way when at all possible. She couldn’t hold it in any longer, scrambling over Tar’vid who was somehow still asleep she threw up over the back of the waggon and was relieved that she was in the rear most waggon, crows instantly swooping in to pick at the mess.

“You okay Luna?” Tar’vid asked her, rubbing her shoulders gently. It felt soothing and she forgot momentarily about the pain in her throat.

“I’m okay, it’s just this damned road. I hate cobblestone so much” she said after a moment and sat back down, feeling every bump of the waggon’s wheels.

“You ever been to Reten before then?” Tar’vid asked her, as she cuddled up to him.

“A long time ago, it’s mostly farmland. Quite a few humans work there too, elves forsake meat for Yindar. But most detest farming... they find it beneath them” she replied, feeling better beside him.

“Are you and Deadra the exception with Keldran elves then?” he asked, stroking her hair gently.

“I am, Deadra isn’t Keldran though, she’s from the Kish sect. Didn’t you notice how much taller she is and her skin’s so pretty, like an olive” Luna sighed wistfully, wishing she wasn’t so pale.

“Well, all I know is that of the nice elves I’ve met your the only two left alive” he replied. Luna hoped that wouldn’t be changing anytime soon.

The waggons continued to roll on until they made camp for the evening. Tar’vid continued to train Youi Fei in sword fighting, though it was clear to Luna that the Mage would never truly be Tar’vid’s equal. Tar’vid seemed to flow from attack to defence like water, whereas Youi Fei had to think on his next move and that split second gave Tar’vid the win every time. As the camp fires died down she heard that damned owl calling out in the night , the others calling back in response. At least Tar’vid’s saints were looking out for them she thought as he laid down next to her. As he fell asleep she wondered if forsaking her own gods had perhaps affected her own life. She felt her belly and Tar’vid’s arm around her, realising she needed no gods with them about.

The next few days saw them enter Reten. Though the town was quiet, very quiet and Luna held her dagger close by wishing she’d decided to stay on the rear waggon with Tar’vid. Youi Fei was just as deadly should trouble break out she thought.

“I’d hoped to stock up on supplies here, but... there’s a presence here that unnerves me Luna,” the mage said softly, scanning the nearby abandoned buildings.

“I suggest we pick up the pace, I’ve caught shapes out the corner of my eye. At best we have plague victims here, at worst... well, let’s not think about it” Tar’vid told them, running up beside the waggon.

“I agree my friend, tell the other two waggons to get ready to pick up the pace when I show the flag” the mage replied, Tar’vid jogging back to the rear waggon.

After a few minutes, Youi Fei waved his flag, cracking the reigns as the oxen picked up their speed greatly. Luna wished horses weren’t so scarce this far north as the beasts broke into a charge.

The caravan rumbled on at pace until they hit the town square. Finding the streets blockaded Youi Fei cursed, handing her the reigns.

“Break through that barricade there,” the mage said, frantically pointing to a wide street beside an ornate fountain.

Luna cracked the reigns as Youi Fei stood on the driver’s bench, his balance perfect despite the rocking waggon. Luna looked up briefly to see his eyes crackle with energy as he stared into the distance, a great ball of flame grew ten feet above the waggon, seeming to follow them. Luna looked back to their path as the oxen neared the blockade.

Then came a shrill cry from what seemed all around, dark forms pouring over the barricades in a cascade weapons bared in their hands. Youi Fei raised his arms and bolts of flame shot from the great ball above his head, striking into the mass of black shapes setting them alight and disintegrating them with each hit. Luna closed her eyes tightly as the oxen smashed through the barricade sending splintering wood everywhere, continuing at speed they trampled any of the creatures that tried to bar their way.

As the waggon careened through the streets she noticed the creatures amassing on the rooftops ahead, the Mage’s bolts weren’t killing nearly enough of them as they swarmed down from the rooftops. There was a loud sound of splintering wood from behind them, then a screeching of twisted metal and she knew one of the waggons had been destroyed. She prayed Tar’vid wasn’t dead as her heart raced, pounding faster and faster as the shapeless forms leapt from the roofs above, tearing through the roof canopy of the waggon. She turned as one of the creatures reared over her, without a thought she drove her dagger into its knee, drawing a shriek of pain as the monster raised its weapon to strike.

Tar’vid watched on as Youi Fei created a great ball of fire above his head, quickly he drew Torgard. He stood tall balancing himself on the driver’s bench, ready for the inevitable attack. A shrill cry echoed from around the square. Black, near shapeless forms flowing over the barricades that blocked the streets that charged with abandon, dying in droves to Youi Fei’s fire with their weapons still held high. Youi Fei’s flames continued raining down on them, though they weren’t being destroyed nearly quick enough to stop them. There was a loud crash from up ahead as the lead waggon smashed through the blockade ahead and into the street beyond. Toren held the reigns tightly, but the creatures were already on the waggon, Tar’vid nearly losing his footing as the creatures smashed one of the carts rear wheels apart.

Tar’vid swatted several from the waggon with his sword as they climbed the sides, there were far too many for him to save the waggon now though.

“Get on the oxen” he shouted to Toren, it was the only way off the rickety overrun waggon.

Toren let go of the reigns and they jumped onto the backs of the beasts, Tar’vid slashed away the yoke quickly, letting it fall away as the waggon pitched onto its side and smashing to splinters on the paved street. Toren plucked a pitchfork from the hands of a trampled creature, driving it into another.

“Tar’vid, defend the lead waggon, they’re jumping off the roofs” shouted Toren, pointing ahead with the pitchfork.

Tar’vid nodded a response and kicked his heels into the oxen’s flank, spurring it on past the second waggon as he slashed at the dark shapes, felling creatures from the side of the second waggon. The oxen crushed several more creatures underfoot as he leapt from it’s back onto the lead waggon. He threw his dagger, striking down a creature, it’s weapon arm raised high as it cried in pain. Tar’vid put it out of its misery, decapitating it with his blade.

The monsters just kept coming though, they were focused on the lead waggon now. Seeming to be targeting him specifically. Tar’vid swept the rest of the waggon clear of monsters as Youi Fei collapsed backwards. Luna caught him, holding him close by as they broke free of the town, his heart racing as they passed through the gates of the village, the monsters attack stopping almost immediately. He let out a sigh of relief, sheathing Torgard.

Luna’s heart pounded, threatening to burst her chest at any moment. She’d never been so scared in all her life. Youi Fei looked in a bad way, blood ran from his eyes and nose, a small hatchet protruding from his chest.

“Tar’vid we need you, Youi Fei’s hurt really badly” she cried out, the mage’s breathing becoming more ragged by the second.

Tar’vid leapt up onto the bench, quickly appraising Youi Fei’s wounds he pulled the hatchet free and tossed it away placing his hands over the Mage’s chest chanting his healing prayer. Within moments Tar’vid’s own face began weeping blood heavily.

“You have to stop, it’s killing you Tar’vid!” she told him, he continued regardless though unwilling to lose his friend.

It was a few moments later that Tar’vid lost consciousness, collapsing back into the waggon. Luna jumped in after him, terrified he was dead. Checking his pulse she found he still lived though the pulse was weak and his eyes were unblinking, staring up at the sky. Youi Fei sat up suddenly, looking around confused.

“Where... I thought I was dead!?”.

“Tar’vid saved you, though I don’t know what damage he’s done to himself in the process” she replied quickly, cradling Tar’vid’s unconscious and bloody body.

Luna looked up as one of their oxen bolted past the waggon and out of sight as the other waggon rolled into sight, their own oxen wounded and panting heavily alongside Toren who dismounted, slumping to the ground exhausted. Meera was dead, Luna could see her chest pierced by a spear pinning her in place, she’d lived just long enough to get the waggon clear of the town. Her partner Gray wept uncontrollably and Luna looked down at Tar’vid’s unconscious body realising how lucky they had been.

“What in the hells were those things Youi Fei?” she asked, slumping down beside Tar’vid and feeling utterly drained.

“They were blood demons, powerful magic Luna... beyond any Mage I know of. The townspeople will return to normal in a few days, but they knew we were coming Luna and I don’t know how” the Mage replied, wiping dried blood from his face with his sleeve.

“Wait... they were the townspeople?” Luna asked in shock, feeling appalled.

Youi Fei nodded, sitting up on the bench slowly.

“Yes, the Mage responsible will have infected the water supply I’d guess, making anyone who drank from it to be temporarily possessed by beings from the Demon Plane”

“But we’ve just killed scores of them... innocent people Youi Fei!” she said in horror.

“I realise that, but it was us or them. And I do not intend to die here and not for a long time after Luna” he replied without compassion.

“Tar’vid can never know, it would destroy him Youi Fei” she replied, cradling her Joined.

“I agree, though we have tarried here too long, I fear we have dead to bury ourselves now,” he told her, and she felt the sadness in his voice.

The dead were buried a few hundred yards from the Keldran Sea, sadly without ceremony as they moved on after only a short break, though the oxen moved at a snail’s pace now still exhausted from their exertions in the town. The conversation was not easy, nor free flowing over the next few days. Luna knew if Tar’vid didn’t wake soon they would have to find a way of forcing food and water into him somehow. Youi Fei started becoming increasingly withdrawn from the group as he took the reigns alone, the near death of his best friend souring his mood no end as they continued to follow the road along the Keldran Sea.

“How is he?” the Mage asked nervously, peering back into the waggon, it’s covering all but torn away.

“I think he’s getting better, his colour seems to be returning,” Luna said happily, stroking Tar’vid’s short hair.

Youi Fei nodded turning back round, but she had seen the smile creep across his face at the news. She was glad to see it again after these past few days of misery.

“Hey you” Tar’vid said to her, looking up a few hours later as he came to.

“Hey, how you feeling?” she asked, kissing his forehead gently.

“Like someone bashed in my head with a boulder!” he replied sitting up slowly, his voice rough.

“Well, your alive so that’s a start, what do you remember of Reten?” Luna asked, her face must have seemed serious, Tar’vid thought long and hard before shaking his head.

“I’m not really sure, my memory... it’s all really vague. Could I have some water please” he said, rubbing his temples.

“Well, you saved Youi Fei’s life, though it seems at the cost of your short term memory and near three days of your life” she replied, slowly emptying a skein of water into his mouth.

Tar’vid coughed loudly and Youi Fei turned round, a wide grin on his face.

“It is good to see you awake again my friend, I had thought you dead for a moment or two back there”.

“I’m not so easy to kill, as you well know” Tar’vid replied with a grin.

They both listened intently to Youi Fei’s description of the attack in Reten, though as he had promised her he made no mention of what the blood demons truly were. Tar’vid’s revival had lifted their spirits a little and by the next day, they arrived at the small road to Randell that Deadra had mentioned to her.

“This is where we part ways, my friend, though it saddens my heart to do so,” Youi Fei said to them both as Tar’vid helped Luna from the waggon.

They had little left in terms of possessions now, the rear waggon having had their few belongings on board.

“I doubt this is our last meeting Youi Fei. I have a feeling we will have a great part to play in the future” Tar’vid replied a moment later as they clasped forearms in a way that elven battle brothers would.

“May Sah’ravel guide you my friend” Tar’vid said.

“And you Tar’vid, until next time. Farewell, both of you” Youi Fei replied, not knowing the response, which made her smile.

They watched the caravan move on before heading along the road. They passed along the dense forest road for some time and had they not known of the village Luna was sure they’d never have found it. As they left the forest behind them they approached Randell, it was a quaint little village sitting between two great hills.

Several of the residents waved to them, a scruffy little dog sniffing at them as children ran past them laughing.

“I think we should be happy here,” she said to Tar’vid, finally feeling safe and happy at last.

“I think so too” he replied as they walked down a small hillock into the village.