In The Dark

They figured it out. They figured out that it was me.

And so, I ran.

Of course I ran. I had to. They would have killed me otherwise.

Honestly, you make one mistake…

I fed the Forsaken with information. In my defence I gave information about them to General Eurianus as well. I had to try and make it right somehow.

Who trusts someone like me, anyway? I’m a scoundrel, a pickpocket, a swindler and a rogue.

Honestly it’s as though they were begging for a betrayal.

Right off the bat though?

They brought it on themselves!

And where did it get you? Out in the wilderness, alone, with one dagger left. Yes, it’s obviously all their fault, Delaan. I shake those thoughts from my head and keep moving.

I fled into the thick forest surrounding Odonas Keep, and headed South towards Laymaus, and as I ran, I constantly switched directions to throw off anyone attempting to track me down. I trekked for hours before I felt comfortable enough to slow down to search the forest for what I needed.

The forest is dense, but despite this, the sun shines brightly through the thick canopy above, the light casting a stained glass effect across the forest floor as I dart between thick trunks and overgrown brush, tripping over exposed roots and jumping over large rocks.

It is approaching the summer months, so everything is green and glistening. The sun shines brightly as I bolt through the forest; oak, hornbeam, spruce and pine whip past my periphery as I dart through the trees. Now and then, I slip on the moss that coats the fallen, rotting trees that lay on the forest floor. The forest really is an emerald kingdom, with many beautiful creatures within, as well as many dangers.

I took a chance running into Berkterel Forest. I have only heard of the horrors that come out at night that reside within.

I falter at the thought, and look back the way I have just come from.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

No. Risks are necessary for survival. I betrayed an entire army for crying out loud! No, I have to keep going. It will be dark soon enough, and I still have three days before I find anything close to civilised. Five days after that before I reach Tharn Reach. And my sister.

I sighed heavily and searched around myself for sticks and twigs. I might as well start collecting firewood now, before it begins to get too dark, like Quinn taught me.

The thought of my friends makes me pause again.

I really muddled things, didn’t I?

Sighing again, I get to work finding wood saturated in sap, small twigs, berries to eat with my rations, and some dry grass.

I could go back, explain why I did it. Maybe they would understand.

Casting my eyesdown, I know I can't return. Not now. Too many people died because of my betrayal. I did it so early on, I should have corrected that mistake before it went any further…

Oh well!

I swaggered my way through the forest, my arms laden with wood for my fire. This survival thing isn’t that hard. Who needs a huntswoman? I’m fine on my own.

After a while, I came across a clearing and slowed my stride as I approached a willow tree, it’s branches hanging low and wide enough to shelter me from the elements along with keeping me hidden from anyone searching for me.

I turn towards the slow moving creek that stretched across the clearing, my eyes wandering it’s shoreline for hard stones. Another trick taught to me by Quinn.

Stop thinking, just find what you’re looking for. Idiot.

It took the better part of half an hour before I found what I was looking for; a hard quartz stone.

I scooped it up quickly and pressed a thumb across the surface of it. Smooth enough.

I get to work starting a fire, separating the woods into piles of small twigs up to large sticks. To begin, I shave the sap infused wood into tiny little pieces, this one piece of wood being enough to last a couple of days. I make a small pile surrounded by rocks, and strike the hard stone against my dagger. It takes me several hits and three sore fingers before a spark hits the sap and it bursts into flame. I quickly grabbed the smallest pile of sticks and carefully placed them into the flames, continuing to do so with each pile until the final log was crackling away.

I searched around for a boulder or a tree stump to sit on. As I trailed to the other side of the creek, I found an old camp with exactly what I needed. I cleared the leaves and dirt from it and carried it over to my own set up and placed it in the opening of the willow tree and carefully sat down. Comfortable, I suppose.

I pulled my pack off my bag and searched for my rations. Wyvern jerky and some dried berries from the last outing I had with the others.I took a bite as I watched the sun begin to disappear behind the treetops. I only have one dagger left. That thought sent chills down my back. Darkness saturated the forest as I sat and pondered my decisions. I am very much not good at those. Decisions.

I huffed a sigh and pulled my bed roll from my pack. Might as well try to get some sleep before tomorrow, as I have a long week ahead of me.

I am rudely awakened by cold steel pressed to my throat. I open my eyes to find a large heavy greatsword propped beneath my chin.

“I should just kill you now and take all you have left.”

I stilled. I knew that voice. Genevieve the Sentinel. Knight Commander of Odonas Keep, close friend of the General. And perhaps only slightly ticked off at me.

I think I surprise us both by smiling up at the burly woman standing over me.

“You would be mighty disappointed, Knight Commander. I don’t have much left to give.”

Leaning forward, she applies more pressure to the blade against my neck. I gulp, feeling sweat begin to form on my brow.

“Am I not entitled to a fair trial?” I choked.

Genevieve scoffed and stepped back.

“Get up,” she demanded, her golden hair shining under the three moons.

I move slowly as I emerge from my bedroll, moving to stand just as slow. Genevieve growls and grabs the back of my collar and pushes me from beneath the willow tree.

I stumble as I try to keep my footing on the uneven ground, managing to catch myself before I fall into the fire.

“Turn,” Genevieve ordered.

I sigh, looking up towards the cloudless night sky, and do as she commands.

“Listen, Gene – OOF!”

She swiftly knees me in the groin, which on its own hurts. But from a tall, strong woman adorned in full-plate armour it is nothing short of excruciating.

My knees buckle beneath me and I squeak in pain as I fall to the ground, my hands clasped firmly over the boys. I squeeze my eyes shut as sweat begins to form along my brow, huffing deeply while I try to breathe through the pain.

Genevieve steps up beside me.

I manage to lift my head to look at her, cheeks puffing as I breathe heavily trying to find my voice.

“That’s just for starters.” she seethes.

I attempt to smile but wince instead, another whine escaping my throat.

“What in the five hells were you thinking?” Genevieve bellows as she paces in front of me, her armour clanking as she moves. “All those people, Del! Everyone who trusted you! You just…” she stopped in front of me and sighed. “You betrayed us. You betrayed me.” Her voice was quieter now, laced with disappointment instead of anger.

“I know!” I managed to gasp, a hand raised placatingly at her. Sighing, I attempt to push myself to my feet with shaking knees. “I know,” my voice wavers and my shoulders slumped in defeat and guilt.

Taking a deep breath, I manage to push myself shakily to my feet, my knees threatening to give out from under me. My eyes lift to her as she stands watching me closely, concern and confusion written all over her face.

“I know that what I did is unforgivable. And I know that running does admittedly look bad. Really bad. But I need you of all people to know that I did the betraying before I even met you. Before I met any of you, actually.”

I glance away from her as I sigh, bracing myself for the confession. Might as well lay all of my sins out, since we’re here.

“Talorn aided me some time back, and my betrayal of you was my repayment of that.”

Genevieve paled and shook her head.

“I… I never thought you of all people would be that stupid, Del,” she turns her back to me as she begins to pace again. A habit of hers’ when she’s made to feel uncomfortable or unsettled. I noticed that in our first week at the Keep.

I gulp heavily, pain still radiating through my nethers. Lifting a finger, I point at her loosely.

“Before we continue. I would like to compliment you on your aiming ability in that knee to the lads.” I place my hands on my hips and scrunch my eyes shut. “Bravo. Well done.”

Genevieve falters. She looks conflicted about whether to laugh or cry. The look she levels at me says “don’t” her greatsword grasped firmly in her hand.

I begin to pace. My knees bent slightly, still shaky.

"Talorn still has something of mine. It... She. Means alot to me. And if you are willing... I need your help getting her back."

Genevieve falters at my revelation. She ducks her head, finding her hands very interesting all of a sudden.

"She?" She asked gently. "Who is she?"

I pace up to the willow tree and take a heavy seat on the log perch.

"She is my sister. One of them anyway."

Genevieve sits down next to me, her sword sticking into the dirt beside her.

"You have a sister?" Her head was cocked to the side as she leaned over in an attempt to catch my eye.

"Yes. I have four. Emely is the youngest. She’s the one Talorn has. We're both in the same line of business. Thieving and the like. We were sent by some Lord to get something of his back. Talorn caught us. He kept my sister as leverage to make me do whatever the fuck he wants."

I sigh and keep my gaze on the deep dark of the forest.

"Why didn't you tell us? We would have helped you."

I growled in frustration and stood from my place on the log, taking long strides as I paced around the campfire.

"Do you really think your man Eurianus would have batted an eye if I'd gone to him about this? Do you think he'd have cared? He's a snob Genevieve. As well as a man with more important things to worry about than the thieving sister of a thief!"

Genevieve's shoulders slump as she listens.

I growled again, pushing a hand down my face.

"Look. I'm sorry I betrayed you. All of you. But this is personal to me. Talorn made it personal."

Genevieve watches me quietly, her intelligent eyes looking me over. The whole time I've known her, I have never once been able to lie to her. Not for a lack of trying.

"A lot of people died because of your betrayal, Delaan."

I placed my hands on my hips and looked away, pursing my lips.

"But I can also understand why you did it."

I looked up, my eyes finding her instantly.

"Come back to Odonas and I will make sure we get your sister back. We can deal with the consequences of your actions later."

I furrow my brow, not wholly expecting that answer.

"What? Really? You can do that?"

"Eurianus is fairly persuasive when the situation calls for it."

My eyes widened in surprise before I slowly smirked at her.

"Persuasive, eh?"

Genevieve scoffs before she stands. "I'll keep watch. You get back to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

She moves to watch the treeline with her back to me and her greatsword resting point down in the dirt, her hands resting on the pommel.

I keep my smirk on her as I swagger my way towards my bed roll beneath the willow tree, hands still on my hips.

Genevieve turns to look at me.

"Don’t!" She snaps, making me laugh quietly as I slide back into my bedroll.

I am making myself comfortable when something moves just past the tree line. Genevieve sees it at the same time I do. She holds a hand up to silence me, sensing that I had been about to ask what it was.

She stands silently, fist still in the air as she searches the darkened forest again.

The once chittering bugs and animals have fallen dead silent.

Genevieve turns to give me a perplexed look, I shrug in reply.

"Do you have your daggers?" She whispers, her eyes still scanning around the camp.

I lift myself from my bedroll again and grab my belt where my lone dagger sits alone.

"I have one left. I'm afraid I lost a few in my escape."

Without looking at me, she unclips the small dagger she has on her hip and tosses it behind herself and at me. I catch it before dressing quickly.

I am able to unsheath my daggers when movement comes from a completely different direction to where Genevieve was watching.

We both turn, weapons at the ready as something begins to crawl down a slope situated behind the willow tree.

As it draws closer, I hear Genevieve gasp audibly when my own heart sinks.

Crawling towards us is what looks like an elderly woman. Her head is down and her hair dragging across the uneven ground. She is dressed in a dishevelled white nightgown and no shoes.

But what stands out is the way in which she is moving.

She crawls on hands and feet. Her knees are bent at an impossible angle as she walks, sure footed along the rocks and roots of the forest. A low whine is emanating from her and grows louder and harsher as she comes closer.

The low whine grows into a deep, guttural groan as her head begins to lift.

My breathing begins to speed up as my heart starts to pump furiously in my chest.

I do not want to see her face.

A comforting hand squeezes my shoulder and Genevieve moves me to stand behind her.

"We can do this, Del."

Her words of confidence shake the fear from my bones ever so slightly, but not enough that I still wanted to piss myself.

The creature’s head lifts, and I feel myself pale at the sight.

Her features are elongated, with wrinkles so deep they make her face look as though it were melting. Her mouth is a gaping hole, set in what looked like a howl of terror as her pale eyes look up to the sky and her fingers stretched and strained as her body contorted, her back bent impossibly backwards and her knees sitting up past her head.

Her eyes dart down from the heavens and fix firmly on us.

"Shit," I mutter, before the creature begins to scurry it's way towards us, her legs moving much like a slider's would while she drags herself forward with her outstretched arms.

I dart quickly to the side as Genevieve lifts her sword. I hear her whisper a silent prayer as the creature crawls ever closer.

Giving an almighty screech, the creature jumps ten feet into the air, taking us both by complete surprise.

I watch in horror as it crashes into Genevieve, sending her sprawling to the ground. Her surprised yelp the only noise echoing through the forest.

She drops her sword, but manages to grasp the creature's wrists as she struggles to keep it away as much as she can.

The creature screeches as she tries to claw at Genevieve's face.

I try to move. To help! But I freeze as I watch in horror as the creature's fingernails begin to stretch and grow impossibly longer as she attempts to claw at Genevieve.

The Knight Commander manages to tilt her head back just enough to be out of reach of the yellowed talons.

I shake myself loose from shock and will my feet to move forward. I run up behind the thing and throw my arms around it's waist and attempt to lift it with all the strength I have.

The creature shrieks when I manage to lift her from my friend, and reaches behind my back and scratches and claws at my head and neck.

I groan in pain when I feel those talons dig into both of my shoulders, but keep my grip tight as Genevieve twists and crawls her way out from beneath the creature.

The talons are forced deeper into my flesh and I once again cry out in pain.

Oh you're doing well tonight, Delaan, I think as I grit my teeth and grasp the creature tighter around the waist.

It begins to kick its legs and screech in frustration in its attempts to get away from me.

"Genevieve!" I call out in desperation as the creature begins to turn in my arms and I struggle to keep my grip, especially when it's head twists further than would be considered normal for most.

Her tortured wailing through the pitch dark forest, as my own pained whimpers barely make a sound.

"Delaan! DUCK!"

I'm unsure if it is instinct, or just habit, but I do as Genevieve commands and I throw myself to the ground. The creature's talons rip the skin across my back, and in return I land a kick to the base of the creature's back when I land prone on solid ground.

Genevieve roars a battle cry and I watch in awe as she swings her greatsword and everything slows.

It feels like eternity as shining steel ripples through the air, and I feel myself falling a little bit in love.

The sword slices through the creature's neck like hot butter, sending a thick black ichor splattering over the both of us. The creature's wailing moans are put to an end, throwing the forest into a claustrophobic silence.

Genevieve and I pant in unison, and loudly, neither of us noticing when the forest eventually comes alive with chittering nighttime noise.

Genevieve steps forward, her sword dangling loosely at her side. She gestures at the lifeless body laying between us and looks at me

"That's a Terrorhag," she gasps between huffed breaths.

I sit up slightly to look at the creature.

"I'd very much like to never see one again," I reply, wincing when I move ever so slightly the wrong way.

"Agreed."

Genevieve steps up beside me and offers a hand.

"Let's get you cleaned up."

I smile up at her, and without hesitation, take her offered hand.