Chapter 13: A Friend in Need

“We don’t turn back. We pull each other up. We will die if we have to but no one is left behind”

-Adventurer’s credo.

A surge of strong winds howled fiercely across the deserted battlefield, sending the tiny rain droplets floating in the air against the unsuspecting faces with an incredibly piercing force. The recently appointed Clan Lord thoroughly inspected the once peaceful green fields now littered with the Northmen’s mangled, blood-stained corpses after the recent slaughter.

He frowned. Nero wasn't strange to the kind of macabre scenery he just witnessed. His main concern was that the Northmen could somehow foresee his every move with frightening accuracy. The last two days had been a true nightmare. He tried outflanking their forces with a swift cavalry charge that he led himself under the concealment of the night but the invading war band not only anticipated such a maneuver but also repelled it. They brought their rearguard forward to mount a fierce defense. His warriors charged bravely but their obsession with honorable combat almost cost him the fight. He had no choice but to command a humiliating retreat lest risk being encircled and utterly annihilated.

Nero came with a new strategy by the morning, rallying his best warriors for a frontal assault, or so he let the Northmen believe. He daringly charged at their shield wall only to turn tail at the last second to encircle them, while another group of dismounted warriors covertly advanced under the tall grass. They quietly bid their time until the Northmen exposed their backs before launching a surprise attack. The Gods blessed them with a glorious battle, which ended in a massacre. Clan Irfis warriors defeated a significantly larger Nord war band while suffering minimal losses. It’s been a good day. Although a brilliantly executed strategy and a flawless victory in its own right, it came with a bitter taste.

Part of him felt satisfied while deep inside, he felt uneasy. The barbaric Northmen proved to be formidable adversaries, pressing him to resort to unclanlike, less than honorable means to obtain victory. His warriors knew this yet they followed his lead without hesitation. Those barbarians deserve no better, anyway.

But Nero knew it couldn’t be over just yet as reports of the landing Nord army indicated a force of at least twice the size. Damn it! He cursed under his breath, commanding several scouts to find the remaining war band. A messenger hastily approached him, interrupting his thoughts.

-“My Lord! Message from Overseer Farlay!” the messenger said.

Nero nodded in return, allowing him to speak.

-“A North war band attacked Repose two nights ago. They killed everyone save for the Priestess, sir! She managed to reach Harvest unharmed. He said she encountered a Mage and mercenaries. He believes they are after her and instructed her to head towards Dawnfall through Clan Aureon lands by her own means, sir!”

A mage?! Is that even possible?! Farlay wouldn’t joke about that! -“I see. Return to him at once, keep me informed” he commanded.

The messenger turned and took off. The news only confirmed his worse fears. He had already suspected this attack was probably just a distraction to keep him and his warriors as far away as possible from the vulnerable villages but couldn’t afford to ignore a force this size. He thought briefly about the priestess he left behind, now fearing for her safety. He would never forgive himself if anything happened to his guests while under his watch. But there was no time to divert his attention now. There was nothing he could do about it as he needed every single warrior he had to face the remaining war band. The Northmen were still on the loose.

Those damned barbarians! Whoever is running this show is one smart bastard.

Rudo tore through the dark, matted forest, carrying a distressed Nina on his back. He followed the narrow, meandering gravel road, hoping it would lead them to Nana’s caravan. He sped up, ignoring the aching on his sides, pushing his body near its limits, fueled by the desperate desire to help the woman that tried to kill him just hours ago. Nina’s mind raced. She could only think about Reinn and how they could help her, recalling Reinn mentioning her cousin Kuro and that he knew about the drill, so if they wished to help her they had to find him first.

Rudo came to a sudden halt to sniff around and catch his breath. His breathing was heavy and laborious. It was evident he was in pain, feeling for him since they barely paused through the entire day. -“You need to rest, Rudo. Please, let me down”

-“I can still run!”

-“Please, Rudo! You can hardly breathe!”

He agreed begrudgingly, kneeling on the ground to allow her to step down. Nina noticed for the first time his back, covered in scars Poor thing. She took the initiative and began jogging at a pace she thought reasonable, with Rudo promptly following suit. Her jogging pace, as fast as it was for a normal person, seemed effortless for his mighty dragon legs.

Nina kept glancing at him as they ran, aware that his keen sense of smell was the key to finding the caravan in hiding. Even though there were a few hours of daylight left, visibility was restricted as the distant mountain range threatened to cover them in its shadow soon enough. The dense layers of grey clouds and the thick forest foliage only made it worse.

Suddenly, a powerful stench of decay flooded the air, numbing her senses. She feared Rudo wouldn’t be able to smell anything through the intense odor from the swamp nearby. He quickly proved her wrong, stopping in his tracks and sniffing ahead. -“Nina! Wait! I think someone’s out there”

An arrow came tearing through the air with a distinctive whistling sound, nailing itself into a tree right next to them, sending chills down her spine. Rudo growled, quickly stepping forward, shielding her with his body in case another arrow came their way.

-“Stop right there!” a distant voice yelled.

She gulped loudly, looking at the direction the arrow came from, her heart filled with dread. Could that be Kuro? What if is not him? But knowing that Reinn counted with them convinced her to steel herself. I can’t let her down! -“Please don't shoot! We need your help!” Nina yelled in return.

-“Hunter! Wait! There is a girl with that thing!” another voice yelled from the opposite direction, at the other side of the road, startling her.

-“Damn it!” he cursed, rising from behind the moss-covered trunk of a fallen tree, walking slowly at their position while drawing a longbow at the ready. -“Stay where you are and don't move!”

It was now that the man stepped from behind the tree trunk that Nina could finally tell without a doubt that it was indeed her estranged cousin Kuro. Thanks the Gods! He hasn’t changed at all! Or maybe he did, not looking like the mischievous teenager that she remembered anymore, now sporting a tall, well-built frame that his armor helped compliment, and a stupidly good-looking face with that old goofy smile that she recalled from their childhood now sporting a menacing frown. She was absolutely sure it was him despite not seeing him in years. Relief washed over her, and Nina couldn’t help but weep tears of joy upon laying her eyes on him. Rudo sensed her sudden change in spirit, knowing immediately they weren’t a threat, dropping his guard, allowing her to step forward. -“Kuro, it’s me. Your cousin, Nina”

-“Wait a minute… Nina?! Is that you?!” he asked, dropping his jaw, finally putting down his longbow, which made Nina grin vividly with joy. He closed the remaining distance, smothering her in a tight embrace that she reciprocated. -“Look at you! It's been ages!”

-“I’m so happy to see you!” she said between sobs. Kuro caressed her head, playing with her messy hair, planting a big smooch on top of her head which Nina couldn’t help but giggle at.

-“I’m happy to see you too! Track! Come! It's my lovely little sister!”

That made her recoil. She has always been very sensitive when it came to her family, most especially her beloved half-brother which she idolized. -“You wish I was your sister, Kuro! But I’m not!” she countered, awkwardly breaking their embrace.

The other man also left his hiding spot, walking slowly towards them, his eyes not leaving the road. -“You didn’t even think for a second it could’ve been a trap, didn’t you?” he said.

-“I know! I know! Don’t worry. She’s my lovely little cousin Nina! Although you’re not so little anymore! You’ve grown so much! Well, maybe not so much. I see you got a new pet too!” Kuro said, smiling broadly.

-“Hey! I'm no pet!” Rudo countered, leaving them speechless. He has been observing the whole exchange, remaining unacknowledged until now, watching them embrace tightly in the same way that she did with him when they first met. He couldn’t put a finger on exactly why but the sight bothered him, feeling his insides twisting and his mood shifting to a gloomy one, wondering if this feeling had something to do with Nina’s mysterious powers. Was this the “cuisine” thing that Nina talked about?

Kuro gaped like fish in shock before turning to face his comrade with a face full of joy. -“Holy crap! Did you hear that?! It can talk! It can fucking talk!”

-“Yes! I’ve heard it, Hunter! But as much as I want to play around we don’t have time for this, you know that,” the other man said.

-“Come on, Track! This is a groundbreaking discovery! Kuro said, dismissing his comrade’s concerns. He kneeled before Rudo to meet him face to face which only confused him, remaining only inches apart from him, showing either reckless bravery or utmost disregard for his own safety. Who was this man? -“Don’t mind him, buddy. Come on, say something,” he said, interrupting his thoughts.

-“Something!”

-“He said it! He said it!” Kuro jumped around excited that Rudo couldn’t help but just stare back confused. He then turned to face Nina with a giant grin that she found both confusing and amusing. -“Where did you get it?! It must be worth a fortune!”

-“We are working, Hunter. Focus on our situation, please,”

-“Fine,” Kuro said dejectedly, his aloof, goofy smile swiftly vanishing, turning into a far more serious, focused expression, startling her quite a lot. -“What are you are doing here, anyway?! I thought you still were in the Empire!”

Time to snap back to reality, Nina.

-“Kuro! Reinn is in great danger! She told me to seek your help! A large band of Northmen is after us!” Her answer shocked both Kuro and his partner. -“Did she mention what her plan was?!” he promptly asked, grabbing her firmly by the shoulders.

-“She said she would ward them off and lose them in the swamps and that you knew the drill!”

-“That stupid woman! It’s been raining lots for days! The swamp is flooded this time of the year! That drill only works in summer!” he cursed, realizing the immense trouble he was about to get involved in. -“I have to go after her! Track! Please take my cousin and her pet with Boss. I'll take the bull to look for Reinn!”

-“Boss isn’t going like this, Hunter,” the man replied with a frown.

-“I know! But I can't leave Reinn behind, Track. I just can’t,”

-“It could be a trap, you know”

-“I have to take the risk,”

-“I'm going with you!” Rudo yelled, interrupting both adventurers, his giant yellow eyes shining with pure determination. -“I told the big girl I’d come back for her!”

So ‘bird brain’ here is the kind that never breaks their word, huh? -“We’re talking about Northmen, buddy. You understand what we are going up against, right?” he asked with such a serious tone that gave Nina goose bumps. It seemed he had taken good care of his cousin but still, he needed to make sure he could trust that creature.

-“I’ve killed a few of them before!” Rudo boasted.

-“You’ll need a weapon and armor. You can’t go like that,” Kuro pointed out.

-“I don’t need weaponz! I’ll punch them hard! And the armor only makes noise and gets in the way! It slows me down!”

-“Maybe you won’t, buddy, but they will have swords and armor, you know. What would you do against a breastplate or a shield with just your hands? Scratch them?!”

-“I’ll punch through them!”

-“Ha! I like you already! I’m going to need a lot of help. Can you do that, buddy? Can you follow instructions?” Kuro asked. Rudo’s reply seemingly convinced him. Are they really going to do this?!

-“Sure I can!” Rudo said, turning to face Track. -“Will you take care of Nina for me?”

-“I’ll take her with the caravan. She’ll be safe there,” Track replied.

-“Promise it!”

Nina could only watch in complete awe how man and beast, until that moment completely unknown to one another, came to an instant understanding, bracing themselves for a mission they knew might not return alive from. She had read about it in those forbidden books, but never truly understood that special kind of unbreakable bond that only becomes apparent when your life is on the line. That readiness to trust your life to someone else, someone you might barely even know, and be willing to share hardships with that you never would otherwise.

Now she understood.

Nina now understood why Verkan made his last stand, why Garf, Garen, Utios, and the rest of the villagers gave their lives for her, and why Lars, Huno, Achtung, and the other villagers almost did the same. The same feeling she shared with Rudo but wasn’t aware of until now. She now acknowledged what her cousin and the dragon she now called a friend felt. That powerful desire in her heart prompting her to do what was right, to do her best for the sake of someone she didn’t even know but to whom she felt indebted. What is this feeling?! Why I’m feeling like this?! Do I really wish to take part in this too?! She could feel a heaviness in the air making her breathing laborious, cold sweat running down her face, and her heart pounding violently against her chest, threatening to rip through her ribcage at any moment at just the mere thought of what was possibly the most stupid decision she was ever going to make. Nina took a deep breath, bracing for the outcome that her next words would lead to. -“No! I’ll go with you too!”

Every head turned towards her.

What the hell did I just say?! Nina immediately regretted opening her mouth. While the idea of meeting the Northmen again terrified her, and rightfully so, being separated from her trusty friend Rudo scared her even more. Although she trusted her cousin Kuro somewhat, she wasn’t so sure about trusting this man Track, as Kuro called him, even though he seemed rather sober. Both he and Kuro briefly checking out her body only made her feel embarrassed and disgusted. Rudo never did that! Neither did the villagers! She could excuse her cousin Kuro since he knew her for a long time and maybe, just maybe Rudo too, if he ever decided to look at her with different eyes. Her horrifying close encounter with the Northmen quickly came to mind, leaving her fearful of essentially any man. She could put her total trust in Rudo precisely because he wasn’t a human.

-“Can you even fight?” Kuro asked, interrupting her thoughts.

-“Nina is very stronk! She defeated a mage with a single blow!” Rudo countered eagerly. I did not! Rudo! What are you talking about?!

-“You are shitting me, right?”

-“No joking! She even took his weaponz as price!”

-“Right,” Kuro said, meeting Rudo’s overly serious face in response. He was about to launch a sharp quip when Nina produced the larger of the Mage’s spellcasters from her bag to both adventurers’ absolute shock. -“Holy shit! You’re not joking!”

-“Alright. Listen. We don’t know what awaits us in the swamps. We’ll look for Reinn and, if luck is on our side, come back after we find her. But if the Northmen found her then we might have to fight our way back. Are you ready for that?!”

-“I’ll do anything to help!” Nina replied with a fire in her eyes.

-“I’ll feel better if she stays near me,” Rudo said.

-“Alright then! Track! Return to the caravan and tell Boss of our plan. He’ll know what to do. If you don’t find him, then tell Nana to move the caravan the rest of the way to the Clan outpost! Seek the aid of the warriors stationed there and prepare a defense! We might have company right behind us when we come back!”

-“I will. Good luck, Hunter” Track replied.

-“I don’t need luck! I have a talking dragon with me! That means good fortune, you know!”

Track nodded then turned, jogging his way up the gravel road at a fast pace, quickly leaving them behind. Kuro let out a vigorous whistle, followed by swift, soft whistles calling for their mount. A gorgeous bull emerged from distant bushes, quickly making its way across the road and next to him.

-“This is Tala. Isn’t he pretty?!” he said while climbing on top of the animal, offering a hand to help Nina climb which she promptly did. It’s been a while since the last time she got to ride in something other than a dragon. Sitting on a padded saddle was a far cry to Rudo’s tail and prominent spine, and having a handsome man riding the bull for her was a nice plus. Too bad it’s Kuro, though. She shook her head to get rid of the silly thoughts, quickly bracing her arms around his waist.

-“You’re coming, buddy?” Kuro asked.

-“I’ll run next to you,”

-“You won’t believe how fast he is!” Nina said.

-“Alright! Here we go then!” he said, commanding the bull forward, which the animal complied instantly, taking off violently, although Nina barely felt any inconvenience, being nothing compared with Rudo’s much more violent leaps.

Her womanly pains completely vanished by now, being replaced by a sickening knot in her stomach threatening to expel its contents at any moment. She could feel a bitter taste on her lips and her body shaking wildly in anticipation. Nina looked at her side, watching Rudo striding next to her, his eyes focused on the narrow road ahead giving her pause. Please, Gods! Protect us! She gulped nervously, bracing tighter to Kuro’s waist.

I can’t believe I’m going to do this!

Unbeknown to them, Reinn walked torturously through the waist-deep brackish waters, dragging her bull behind her, roots and other forms of aquatic vegetation greatly hindering her advance. She looked over her shoulders only to find a tall, bearded man clad in chainmail and with a sword in hand just a few yards behind her, his icy blue eyes fixed on her, walking with the same difficulty. Behind him, around other twenty more chased her relentlessly. Of course! It’s been raining for days! She cursed. Wondering where exactly things went so wrong. She had expected to find a narrow trail meandering through the dry hammocks that she would use to lose her pursuers as they had done in the past. Instead, she was greeted by the flooded swamp forest and its dark, bubbly waters.

Reinn carried on, finally letting go of her trusty bull in a last-ditch effort to leave her pursuers behind, not knowing what else to do. She watched as the animal made its own way to find dry land with much difficulty. The Northman turned, his icy blue eyes staring in disbelief as the animal walked away, ultimately ignoring it in favor of a far more enticing price. She could only hope that Kuro would daringly come to her rescue. He had never let her down before. Not once. She dearly hoped that today wouldn’t be the first time.

Or the last.

Meanwhile, Kuro skillfully commanded his bull through the narrow trail that led deep into the forest, away from the main gravel road. The dark clouds combined with the dense forest foliage made navigating through the woods an arduous task. The mountain range extending over the forest threatened to bring dusk earlier than expected, blocking the remaining sunlight in a few hours, extending its obscure veil, and bringing its dangers with it. They had to hurry.

-“Why did that man call you ‘Hunter’?” Nina asked, trying to ease the tense air and calm down her nerves.

-“That’s my adventuring name!” Kuro said, producing a small, shiny silver medallion chained to his neck which she glanced at above his shoulder. “Every single adventurer has a battle name to protect their identities. He’s Tracker, but everyone calls him ‘Track’ for short,”

-“And Reinn?”

-“Hers is ‘Rain’. Pretty easy, huh?”

-“Yeah! So… you’re an adventurer, right?” Nina asked again.

-“Yeah! Adventurer! I know what you’re thinking. It’s just a fancy way to say mercenary, or sell sword, or sword for hire, you name it! But you know what? I don’t mind! It’s honest work,” Kuro said, boasting, turning to face her briefly.

-“I see. I thought you would become a warrior. You were training for the Clan trials the last time I saw you,”

-“You know me well, Nina. That life just wasn’t for me. Being an adventurer is far more exciting, you know,”

-“Exciting?! Verkan had very high expectations of you! Did you ever think about what he would have thought?! He would never approve it! It took him years to convince the Elders of Clan Haldir to finally open up to Islanders!” Nina countered, trying her hardest to rein her emotions but losing the battle horribly. Verkan practically raised her cousin Kuro during his time in the isles and hearing him so casually dismissing his beliefs hurt her. Anything concerning Verkan still hurt her a lot.

-“Funny thing you mentioned him. It was actually HE who finally convinced me to become an adventurer, you know,”

-“You’re lying! He would never do such a thing!”

-“No? Seems you don’t know him as much as you think you do. He would NEVER force anyone to be something they don’t want to be. I bet my soul he also tried to convince you NOT to become a priestess. Or am I wrong?” he asked with a confident face. Nina didn’t dare to respond. His words hurt like a dagger through her heart. Kuro just hit an awfully sore spot.

-“Anyway, I thought you were with Verkan. Where is he?”

Nina didn’t respond. She instantly tore up at his words, biting her lips to avoid weeping all over although her sudden silence clued Kuro on Verkan’s fate. -“FUCK!” he yelled, breathing heavily. Nina then felt his hand stroking hers in comfort and his voice speaking in a solemn tone. “I’m sorry. It must have been tough,”

-“It was. It still is,”

-“Nana’s going to be pissed,”

Kuro had thought earlier of teasing his cousin about the strange creature that raced next to them but desisted of it after learning of this terrible news. Poor Verkan. He knew the old man well. He was a close friend of the Valdir household and of the entire islands. A loyal friend and a fatherly figure to anyone that knew him, he inspired others with his example, encouraging them to follow their dreams. If the damned Northmen had anything to do with Verkan’s passing, he would make absolutely sure that they pay for it. That I swear.

Rudo stopped in his tracks, prompting Kuro to come to a halt as well. The narrow trail was cut short, disappearing right in front of them, submerging into the swamp’s dark, murky waters that extended as far as they could see. I knew it! Kuro frowned, looking around for another trail but finding none.

-“I told you! The swamp is flooded! We’ll have to go around it!”

-“I smell something! I think is that bull!” Rudo yelled.

-“Where?!” Kuro prompted.

-“I don’t know! There is too much gas to tell but is not far!”

-“Gas?” Nina asked.

-“Swamp gas! It’s usually far stronger! We’re lucky it rained for days or the stench would be unbearable!” Kuro said.

-“There is it!” Nina pointed after catching the sight of polished metal shining through the distance. She gasped loudly, instantly recognizing the silver coin earring attached to the lone bull’s ear wandering among the flooded forest trees, a few hundred yards away. -“But I can’t see Reinn! Maybe she continued on foot?” she asked.

-“Probably,”

Nina bit her lips again, the sickening knot in her stomach growing increasingly stronger by the second. Her cousin Kuro seemed to know what he was doing. He definitely looked resourceful and knowing that both he and Rudo had her back helped to ease her spirits. Recalling Achtung’s missing bull, she took a deep breath before yelling at the top of her lungs. -“Teberus! Teberus!”

-“What are you doing?!” Kuro demanded.

-“I’m calling him! That’s Reinn’s bull!” Nina replied just as the bull turned its head, spotting them. It mooed softly before it began walking in their direction. -“See? He’s coming!”

-“You have a strange luck with animals,” Kuro commented, as the animal came gently, licking his face in recognition. He grabbed the reins before turning to glance at his cousin’s dragon friend who kept a vigilant eye on the murky waters ahead. -“Hey buddy! Can you smell Reinn?”

-“Just barely. I think she’s walking away from here,”

Great. He was well aware of the keen sense of smell that dragons possessed and trusted the creature’s judgment. He was also very well aware of what dragons were capable of. He had seen some dragons before but never one like this one. Kuro never imagined he would be having a freaking conversation with what should be a savage animal either, and it felt extremely surreal. He turned to face Nina again as they walked around the swamp through dry land. -“Does he have a name?”

-“Why don’t you ask him?!”

-“Hey buddy! You got a name?” Kuro asked, making Rudo turn in response, sporting a confused look.

-“A name?”

-“Yes! A name! If we are going to do this together I need to know your name at least!”

-“Oh! That! Yeah! My name is Rudo!”

-“Pfffff!” Kuro promptly covered his mouth with a closed fist, looking away, trying his hardest not to laugh. He quickly turned towards Nina again who witnessed the exchange. -“You put him that name?!”

-“I thought it was a good name!”

-“It is! But for a pet?! You’ll make laughingstock out of him! Have mercy!”

-“You’ll see why I thought it was a fitting name!”

-“I really hope we don’t!” he countered fiercely. -“I’m really hoping to find Reinn and just sneak our way out! I’m not as eager as you to face the Northmen outnumbered!”

She gulped. Kuro was absolutely right. Facing the Northmen right now would be nothing short of suicidal. What the hell was I thinking of coming along?! Hearing her cousin previously full of bravado open up like that sent chills down her spine, suddenly reminding her of the not-so-slight possibility that things could go downhill pretty quickly if they made a mistake. Knowing that Rudo had her back emboldened her to the point of being reckless, but Kuro’s sudden reality-check made her realize something she already knew but choose to ignore.

I would be completely screwed without Rudo.

-“I think that’s her!” Rudo spoke, interrupting her thoughts. Both she and Kuro went mute immediately, glancing at each other with knowing looks. Nina covered her mouth with her hands, her heart speeding up as the realization of what was happening hit her. Rudo pointed towards a large clearing in the swamp, a few hundreds of yards away. Although barely visible, a blurry silhouette moving with great difficulty instantly caught her attention.

-“Reinn!” Nina yelled before Kuro forcefully restrained her, silencing her with a hand over her mouth. Rudo was about to react when the piercing look on Kuro’s eyes let both he and Nina know about the severity of their situation.

-“Shhh! She’s not alone!” he whispered.

Her heart stopped. Her breathing became laborious and her body suddenly began to shake uncontrollably. Shit! Shit! Shit! This is really happening! She could feel Kuro’s hands also shaking as he slowly let go of her. Nina looked at Rudo who had his eyes fixed on something in the distance, slowly turning her head to look at what he was looking at.

Northmen.

Dozens of them.

Nina froze. She instantly began to cry. Panic was definitely doing a number on her as terror took over her soul. The dreadful memory of her close encounter with the barbaric Northmen quickly came to mind, intensified by the fact that the forest they were currently in was awfully similar to the one where Rudo saved her. Nina desperately wanted to hug him for comfort and was about to do just that when Kuro’s sudden shouting interrupted. -“Stay down! Don’t let them see you!”

The trio watched silently as Reinn struggled to speed up the pace through the muddy swamp-bottom and waist-deep swamp waters being chased by a tenacious Nord raider coming dangerously close to her, with more than a dozen others following not too far behind. Reinn tried desperately to reach dry land when she felt the Northman pulling her cloak, which she immediately unhooked to free herself from his grasp. Realizing her chances of escaping were slim, she unsheathed her sword and turned to face him. -“Come if you dare, Northman!”

The Northman grinned, gladly accepting the challenge. -“Till sist! Möta mig med heder!” he yelled in the Nord language, launching a powerful blow which she parried, the sound of clashing steel echoing through the forest. Nina watched in horror as the remaining Northmen slowly closed the distance, threatening to engulf Reinn who could only keep fighting for dear life. Nonononono! Please Gods, no!

-“What do you think, buddy? Fifteen? Twenty?” Kuro asked out of the blue, interrupting her thoughts.

-“It doesn’t matter! The more to kick around!”

-“You know what, buddy? We’ll get along just fine!” Kuro replied sporting such a goofy smile that startled Nina. How can they act so calmly?! His smile quickly turned into a frown and his tone changed to a deadly serious one when he spoke. -“Nina. Listen carefully,”

She nodded decidedly in response. -“I and your boyfriend will sneak behind them while their attention is on Reinn. You go and take the bulls to that patch of dry land and wait for us there, ok?” he commanded.

-“Rudo. I need their attention away from Reinn for a moment. Can you keep them busy for a while? I’ll handle those attacking Reinn while they are distracted,”

-“Sure!” Rudo said.

-“Nina. I need you not to lose sight of us, got it?! Take this. It is a Clan warhorn. Blow it when I’m helping Reinn. That will fool them into thinking Clan warriors are coming. Can you do that?”

-“I-I-I’ll do my best to help!” she replied.

-“Alright. Let’s get to work”

-“Good luck” Nina whispered. Rudo gave her one final glance before walking into the dark, murky waters. She tried to reach out to him but neither he nor Kuro turned, their attention focused to save Reinn who kept fighting back, cursing and launching powerful blows, keeping the Northmen at bay. Nina couldn’t keep watching any longer, deciding to do as instructed with her heart in her mouth, walking the bulls across the swamp waters to the patch of dry land located a few dozen yards away. She pulled the mage’s spellcaster out with trembling hands, just to inspect it again, nervously bumbling around with it in case the need arises. Please, Gods! Protect them!

The Northman pushed hard against Reinn, binding his sword with hers in an attempt to throw her off balance. She countered by smashing his face with her helmet, taking advantage of his impulse, and leaving him open for a counterattack. She saw the perfect opportunity; restraining his sword arm with one arm and slashing his exposed throat with the other, finally letting the dying Northman go which promptly sank below the water’s surface.

-“That’s all you’ve got?! Come on!” Reinn yelled at the top of her lungs. She then felt a painful blow on her ribs, her mail shirt stopping the sword. Another Northman caught her off-guard. Reinn looked around and saw even more Northmen walking slowly towards her, just a few yards away. She parried another blow, then another, her own heavy breathing inside her helmet muffling the sound of clashing steel. Soon another Northman joined the fray, now facing two simultaneously. She parried another blow, and then they hit the mail protecting her guts, which withstood the blow wonderfully, adrenaline helping numb the pain. She parried another blow, and another, and then her spaulders deflected a downward swing followed by a swift, powerful blow on the helmet that finally brought her down.

Reinn sank below the waters, darkness quickly engulfing her. The Northman that brought her down dived after her, pulling her up almost immediately. Soon the rest caught up with her, completely restraining her. Nina watched helplessly as they began to beat Reinn mercilessly, submerging her again to drown her. No! Rudo! Kuro! Please hurry up! Their leader pulled her up again to look at his foe’s face one last time before dealing the killing blow, producing a short, ornate dagger from his back, ready to exact revenge, finally lifting the helmet’s visor.

What in hell?!

-“En kvinna?! Vad fan gör en kvinna här?!” the Northman yelled in shock, followed by the gasps of everyone around him. Reinn took the opportunity to spit him in the face, earning another beating.

-“What’s the matter?! What are you waiting for?!” she yelled defiantly.

-“We will have our way first, woman!”

-“Fuck you!”

Splash!

A giant geyser suddenly erupted amid the Northmen, hurling an unfortunate North warrior airborne. What just happened?! Every head turned immediately, watching astonished as the lifeless corpse of their brother in arms fell among them, splashing against the waters. Just as the droplets began falling again, another body fell, the violent impact splashing murky swamp water against their faces. A shadowy figure rose slowly above the surface, obscured by the water droplets falling down like rain, revealing a very pissed dragon after it mellowed. Rudo opened his eyes, a pair of bright yellow eyes scanning down the gang as they stared back in disbelief, the sight shocking both Reinn and the Northmen alike. Ugly bastard! You actually came! She couldn’t help but cry tears of joy as relief washed over her.

-“En drake!” the Nord leader yelled, instantly followed by every single sword being pointed at Rudo who remained motionless. -“Vad hände nyss?! Vad gör en drake här?!”

-“I’ll kill you if you hurt her!” Rudo yelled.

-“En drake som pratar! Det är ett tecken!” a frightened Northman shouted, being swiftly reprimanded by their leader. -“Halla mun!”

Rudo sighed. Probably it has been a bad idea to kill the only Northman among them able to speak the common language. But in his defense, there was no way to tell which one was talking from underwater. He braced himself for what he knew was about to happen next. -“Döda det! Det är bara en!” the Nord leader commanded.

-“Bring it on!” Rudo growled.

A pair of Northmen held Reinn fast while the rest charged all at once. Even though they were just a few feet away, the swamp bogged them down, making their charge a laborious effort. Rudo dived into the waters, swimming his way around them with breathtaking agility, surfacing only to strike with devastating efficiency. He swiftly put down another Northman, breaking his neck with a powerful kick, killing him instantly. He stood still, taking advantage of their clumsy advance to catch his breath and relax his muscles as exhaustion took a heavy toll on him, diving again in tenebrous waters only to emerge right behind another Northman, breaking his back with another potent kick, denting through his armor plate, casting him airborne, splashing down several yards away.

Reinn heard a whistling sound, followed by a faint thud. An arrow hit the back of the head of the Northman restraining her, piercing his skull, and killing him instantly. She felt his grip loosening as his body fell in silence, disappearing into the dark swamp waters. It went almost unnoticed by the rest of the Northmen who were busy dealing with Rudo wreaking havoc on their ranks, except for the second one restraining her, who witnessed in shock as his fellow Northman sank below the surface. He immediately followed him after being impaled abruptly on the throat by another swift, deadly arrow, his screams of despair being barely a grisly gargle as he too sank to his death.

She took the opportunity to pay the Northmen back, diving into the dark waters to pry a sword from his owner’s cold, dead hands. Reinn approached their leader from behind, running him through the armor’s opening under the armpit with all her pent-up wrath, piercing his heart. She kept stabbing his dead body repeatedly until Kuro arrived from behind, stopping her.

-“Let him go! He’s dead already!” he prompted.

-“What the hell are you doing here?!”

-“Saving your beautiful ass!”

-“For once I’m happy to see you! What took you so long?!”

-“We don’t have time for this! We have to go! Now!”

Nina watched amazed as Rudo made short work of each Northmen trying to reach him, and also how Kuro skillfully rescued Reinn while the rest were distracted. I can’t believe it's working! It’s too good to be true! Nina was about to thank the Gods when the loud, crunchy noise of branches breaking behind her startled the bulls. She turned immediately.

Her heart stopped.

A single Northman emerged from the woods, closing the distance between them quickly, trying to restrain her. Nina jumped instinctively out of the way, barely evading her assailant, shielding herself behind the bulls that became restless in the Northman’s presence. Her heart raced. Shit! Shit! Shit! What should I do?! What should I do?! She kept evading the Northman running around and in between the bulls that in spite of being unsettled still behaved docile. -“Stay away from me!”

-“Oh, don’t worry, flicka. I won’t hurt you… much,” the Northman said with a wicked grin, much to her utter horror. Please Gods, no!

Her heart thumped. Her lungs pumped. The Northman caught her by her cloak which Nina promptly ditched, freeing herself, falling to the ground in the struggle. She looked around, finding herself surrounded by the dark swamp waters on one side, and the tenebrous thick forest on the other. There was nowhere to run. The Northman walked closer, his hulking frame, long, fair hair obscuring his youthful face, and piercing blue eyes being strikingly familiar. The man stopped in his tracks just when he was about to restrain her.

-“Wait a minute…” he said in shock, his eyes widening in recognition as he took a step back. -“I know you! You’re the girl from the other night!”

-“Flickan är här! Flickan är här!” he shouted at the top of his lungs, calling out his fellow Northmen, cursing in frustration as nobody turned to him. -“Helvete!” Unbeknown to him, however, it also shook her up from her stunned state. What is this feeling?! Nina wondered, feeling her heart pounding wildly inside her chest, threatening to rip through her ribcage at any moment. Please, Gods! Give me the strength! She took a deep breath, steeling herself as a sudden, unexpected resolve took over her body and soul as if the Gods themselves commanded that her ultimate fate would be in her own hands and hers alone. She got up, taking the chance while the Northman looked away to face him, drawing the spellcaster, cocking the mechanism, and getting it ready.

-“Stay away! Or I will kill you!”

-“You?! I want to see you trying, flicka!” the Northman said, walking towards her. Nina panicked, squeezing the weapon’s trigger.

Click!

Nonononononono! Why it isn’t working?! She frantically pulled the cocking lever again, squeezing the trigger for dear life. Click! And repeating the process again. Click! And again. Click! And again. Click. And yet again.

The weapon twirled abruptly, kicking her to the ground, falling flat on her butt, dazed, with her ears ringing with a distant buzz. What just happened?! She looked at the Northman seemingly unfazed, standing still in front of her, inspecting a small orifice on his breastplate, raising his head to look at her again with bloodthirsty rage. I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!

-“What… have you… done to me… witch?!” the Northman babbled with a barely audible voice as blood poured from his mouth and the small orifice in his armor, collapsing on his knees first, and then face-first to the ground.

A powerful thunder echoed through the entire swamp, making everyone turn their heads toward it. -“Nina!” Rudo panicked, his heart racing as he rushed towards the spot where the girl was, fueled by absolute terror. The Northmen slowly came back to their senses as the initial daze faded and they realized what was happening, bursting into violent uproar.

-“Det ar ett bakhal! Det ar en falla!”

-“Great! There goes the plan!” Kuro cursed as the attention slowly turned towards him and Reinn, swiftly drawing his bow and shooting an arrow at the closest Northman, hitting him in the eye, piercing his skull through the eye socket, and putting him down instantly. Kuro quickly took another shot at the next Northman which shielded his body with his arms, resulting in his hand being impaled but saving his life. He then helped Reinn traverse the swamp as a dozen Northmen chased after them. Now everyone in the swamp knows we’re here! Shit!

Rudo found Nina watching over the Northman’s corpse, weeping uncontrollably, much to his relief. -“Nina!” She immediately turned upon hearing his voice, looking at him with wide, watery eyes, no longer able to help herself anymore. Nina raced to meet him, plunging into his shoulders, smothering him with a tight embrace.

-“Rudo! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I think I’ve killed him! I didn’t mean to!” Nina said between sobs, her body shaking powerfully as she let it all out.

-“Yeah, he’s pretty dead. You did great,”

-“Then why do I feel like this?!”

-“Coz you’re not evil, Nina,” Rudo said, mustering an amount of tenderness that even he couldn’t believe, finally returning the embrace, awkwardly putting his arms around her. -“Coz you’re not evil, that’s why,”

She snuggled onto his chest, allowing herself to cry, forgetting the fact that he wasn’t a human but a dragon. Rudo watched quietly as Nina cried her heart out, his own pumping organ stirring up at the soft yet electrifying contact, wondering why he cared and worried this much about a girl who was nothing but a stranger just a few days ago. What the hell is this feeling?! These intriguing powers of hers were indeed terrifying, even for someone like him who believed neither in magic nor in any god. Heck! Even fighting the Norzmen isn’t this scary! Yet as mysterious as it seemed, Rudo found it strangely rewarding, deciding to leap head-first into this terrific experience, as even just the thought of something, anything happening to her, terrified him even more.

The warhorn! Nina recalled abruptly, breaking their embrace to search through her bag, promptly producing said instrument, wasting little time to blow it with all her might, promptly startling the Northmen. -“Klankrigare! Dra dig tillbaka och omgruppera!” the eldest one shouted just as the distant bopping sound echoed through the swamp, directing the others to give up the chase and pull back to the nearest dry land, regrouping to face what they thought was an imminent Clan attack.

-“You brought cavalry?!” Reinn asked.

-“Of course not! We had to come in a hurry!”

They walked the remaining distance back to where the bulls were waiting, finding both Rudo and Nina kneeling on the ground, right next to the Northman’s lifeless body, locked in such a tender embrace that Kuro despised to interrupt, but knowing that he must as the threat of the Northmen still lurked. -“I hate interrupting you lovebirds but we have to go! Now! It won’t take long until they realize they’ve been fooled! And trust me they’re going to be pissed!”

-“And you Reinn. What the hell were you thinking?! You knew the swamps would be flooded!”

-“I thought I could make it! Reinn countered fiercely, shedding some tears and looking away ashamed. -“I screwed it up big time! Ok?! I’m sorry!”

-“Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” Kuro said, pulling Reinn into a tight hug that she awkwardly reciprocated.

-“Thanks for the save, really! I thought I was done for. I owe you a big one,”

-“Don’t thank me, thank these two! I couldn’t possibly have made it without them!” he said, motioning to the youngsters who nodded in return, a sight that overwhelmed her.

-“Thank you! Both of you!”

-“Can you ride?” he asked her, receiving a nod in return. -“Alright! Nina you ride with me,” he commanded. Nina promptly complied, giving Rudo one last apologetic glance before breaking their embrace to ride with Kuro over Tala’s back while Reinn went with Teberus, the bull becoming puckish for its master’s safe return.

-“We’ll go to the outpost. We will make our stand there! Hopefully, Track and the others already prepared a defense!”

Defense?! Nina shivered upon hearing those words. While part of her hopelessly wished everything was finally over another part knew Kuro was right. The Northmen are pissed, and they will come back for vengeance. They wasted no more time, taking off violently, going through the narrow forest trails at full gallop, followed closely by Rudo who strode behind them. They promptly made their way back to the gravel road, heading towards the outpost, and hopefully, enlist the help of the Clan Aureon warriors stationed there.

As the sun steadily set behind the mountains and darkness slowly took over, Nina could only think about the upcoming face-off with the barbaric Northmen and the imminent bloodshed that was coming.

One way or another, the nightmare ends tonight.