126. Armed: Wiremu

When the group I was following met with another group who had prisoners, Modrica and I decided we would try and slow them down. If Tabitha weren’t following us, Sione certainly would be. The thirty we were following were joined by another twenty or so. There were five prisoners, all unconscious and being carried by the invaders. I should just call them soldiers because that is what they are. There is a clear chain of command, and they are well-organised with similar gear.

My first shot was going to be my only freebee, so I tried to make it count. I put a triple shot into the person who seemed to be in command. With the Sudden Strike bonus and the Venom, she went down and wasn’t getting back up. Unfortunately, the person in charge of the second group immediately stepped up and took control, and he seemed competent. Shields and weapons were drawn, bows were prepared, and at least two rogues disappeared into the trees. I got two more arrows away while this was happening, and I struck the leg of one person carrying a prisoner, and they went down. The other shot was deflected off the leather armour.

I then retreated, joining back up with Modrica, who was looting two bodies. We figured when we attacked that the scouts would circle back, so Modrica was waiting for them. That was the end of our freebee advantages. Now they had all the advantages in numbers and organisation. They were moving a lot more cautiously, so our objective was achieved. We moved into a harassing tactic while trying to avoid their arrows and rogues.

I was moving into position and a sudden pain shot up my leg. I toppled over, Granite Spiked the area, and my leg came free. Stupid, stupid, stupid. One of the rogues had trapped a likely spot, and I had walked right into it. Traps were one of my specialities. I should at least be looking for other people’s traps. My Granite Spikes had ruined the trap. I heard some meaty thuds behind me as Modrica engaged the Rogue, who I am guessing was coming to try and finish the job. I pulled a health potion and spread some on my leg to stop the bleeding. We needed to move. I set off with a slight limp. Regeneration would fix it shortly, and it wasn’t hampering me much.

I felt Nyx enter the Blacksteel pendant I wore around my neck. It’s the sudden drop in temperature that lets me know. I couldn’t stop to find out if there was news, but it did mean Tabitha was on her way.

Unfortunately, we had hit the beach. There were two ships anchored off the shore, and one looked like a warship. There were several small boats on the beach waiting to ferry people to the ships. I sprinkled them with arrows, making the guards duck for cover and wounding two of them. I then had to get out of the way as the main body of troops was arriving, and they immediately started loading the boats.

The shield bearers formed a ring with shields up and facing the forest while they loaded the prisoners and wounded onto the boats first. Their archers lined up behind the shield bearers, and whenever I loosed an arrow, I got five in return. My Longbow Skill meant I got two of the rowers on one boat, and it slowed its progress till they could be swapped out. Having to move after every shot definitely slowed my rate of fire.

I got an impression from Tāoke of impending death coming up behind me. I looked, and there was nothing there, so he was warning me of something coming. I got the impression of a girl with death surrounding her. I guess the assassin got away from Tabitha and was inbound. If the assassin got away from Tabitha, then she was very, very good. I warned Modrica, and we watched our backs.

It was about a five or six minute round trip for the boats to get out to the ships and offload before returning to the beach for the next load. The prisoners were loaded onto the warship. I wondered if that was where Abigail was as well. That would be a problem.

They were about halfway through the trips when Hearing Aid heard a heartbeat where there shouldn’t have been one. Because I was already alerted, I rolled to the side immediately and loosed an arrow toward the sound. An arrow embedded itself into the trunk of the tree I had been standing beside, and the bark started to rot. Death affinity. Shit. My arrow went high, and I picked up a shadow moving. I snapped off another arrow and got one in return which grazed my leather armour. The leather near the graze mark started to rot. I remember the Death Shaman getting some of this poison on me, and it almost killed me. My Snakeskin was at Journeyman level now, so it should be a lot more resistant. My regeneration was also at Journeyman Level, so I wasn’t as vulnerable, but this was also a much more intelligent and highly trained opponent.

Suddenly another shadow loomed over the one that had shot at me, and I heard a meaty thud as Modrica landed a punch. The assassin rolled, dropping the bow, a knife appeared in her hand, and she launched herself at Modrica before I could do anything. Her knife hand was caught in Modrica’s fist and stopped. Modrica kicked the assassin hard, and her body went flying. She still held the assassin’s knife arm in her hand. She had torn the assassin’s arm right off. I am not sure it was the Master of Unarmed Combat at work. I think it was more just brute strength.

The assassin didn’t stop. I saw a spurt of blood come from the shoulder, and then it stopped. The assassin kept rolling, so my arrow missed, and then she ducked into the trees and disappeared. Hearing Aid heard the occasion sound moving away from us, but more importantly, the Hunters Mark I got into her had her moving toward the beach.

I moved to Modrica. “Let's get those gloves off you, and don’t let them touch your skin. That’s Death Poison.” She was wearing the Spiritually enhanced gloves she had got in Jern, so they were slowing the poison down from eating through, like my Troll armour used to do for me.

Modrica dropped the arm she was holding, and I helped her get the gloves off. It didn’t look like it had gotten through to her skin, but it was a close thing. We dumped the gloves into a small stream for the moment and I washed my armour. We then went to check on what was happening on the beach.

They were loading the last of the boats, and I could see a one-armed figure in one of the boats. I fired arrows at them, only getting erratic return fire for the archers in the boat, and I only managed to wound a couple. I heard the sound of people coming up behind me, my link to Tāoke telling me who it was.

“So she got away,” Tabitha said.

“Mostly,” I said. “Modrica ripped one of her arms off. It is over there in the bushes.”

“Really?” she replied. “Well done, my Krvne Sestre.”

Gwaed looked shocked when Tabitha used the title. Modrica just grunted.

Gwaed said, “I should give you both a shot of Blood Rejuvenation to make sure none of the poison gets to you.” She made a cut on her hand and then on Modrica’s hand, and then they clasped hands together for a minute. Then she did the same to me. I got a notice that my Regeneration was boosted for an hour.

“Should I swim out and plant the explosives?” Ruku asked. Both ships were raising their anchors.

“Do you think you will catch them?” I asked.

“Probably not, and their archers are watching the water,” Ruku replied.

We watched as a set of oars came out from one side of the warship, and it started turning faster as the oars bit into the water. Five smaller ports opened on one side of the ship, and as it turned, these lined up with the Swiftwave. Suddenly fire spurted from the ports, and explosions happened on the Swiftwave. It looked like the Imperials didn’t want to pay for their mercenaries and were sinking the Swiftwave. The second wave of explosions happened, and the Swiftwave started to list to the side and sink lower into the water. A final set of explosions happened, and the Swifwave broke into two halves and sunk faster.

The second set of oars came out from the warship, and sails were lowered from the masts. It started to pick up speed toward the open ocean. We just stood on the beach and watched.

Before they got out of sight, three Kirghiz warships appeared and gave chase. The imperial had a large head start and the advantage of oars, so they would not likely catch her.

We couldn’t see any survivors from the Swiftwave, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any. They could just be avoiding us. I would if I were them.

Before we headed back to Obalno, Gwaed stopped us. I want to farewell Difetha before we head back. She pulled out the body of the rat from her bag. Merch came out from her bosom and scrambled up to one shoulder. Then a dark shape appeared, and Sugnwr landed on the other shoulder, her leathery wings spread across her back and arm.

She held Difetha up, and I noticed her cat fangs were back. “Goodbye, my spoilt one,” she said and then ripped the rat's throat open with her fangs. She cupped her hand under the dripping blood and offered it to Merch and Sugnwr, who both drank some. She licked her bloody fangs.

“Normally, I would let nature take the body, but it is always better if the nutrient goes to benefit someone we know.” She looked up to Tāoke, who was still on Tabitha’s shoulder, “Are you hungry little one?”

Tāoke slid off Tabitha’s shoulder and then triggered his Grow Skill. All of a sudden, he was near eight meters long.

“Not so little, I see,” Gwaed chuckled and then offered Tāoke the body. Difetha was a very large rat, but Tāoke, in his large form, swallowed her in one go, and there was not too large a bump as it worked its way down to his stomach, where he would digest it over the next day or so. He then came to me and wanted up. He was heavy in this form, and he had to wrap himself around me several times. Gwaed looked at me, “You had better learn that Growth Skill from him.” she said.

Wow, it never occurred to me I could do that. Tāoke got it from the Shaman beast core, but it did not occur to me I could learn it from him, like the other skills we had learned from each other. I could be a giant. That sounds like fun. My clothes and armour wouldn’t last but it sounded like fun, and a useful surprise to have. Tabitha caught the glint in my eye and she rolled hers.

“I now consider us to be allies,” Gwaed declared. We were happy with that and shook on it. At least that didn’t involve blood.