Ghosts Of Alfhaven (Book 2) (6 page)

“
Stop calling me Thrallborn..”

Nerelis quipped back, “Give me a reason.”

Sawain grit his teeth.

I'll give you a reason. Just watch me.

The others stood in a loose circle in a narrow clearing not far from the entrance. The thicket looked much larger from inside to Sawain. Naralei looked him over quickly then spoke to everyone as a whole.

“
Alright, we've made it through this before, we can do it again. Remember our strategy for this situation. Mari, this is your time to shine. You and Timbrel keep us all on our toes with your song of awareness. Lora, you take point and Banth, watch for Razorthorns while we're moving. Don't forget to keep your distance. I'll keep to the center to issue commands. Tobi, you just stay right beside me, don't do anything except stay in formation. So, new boy, Sawain, right? What can you do?”

Sawain scoured his brain as his dry tongue clung to the roof of his mouth. He forced it loose as he thought of something.

“I'm good at killing things.”

Banthan snorted, “You? With what weapon, your body odor?”

Mari and Timbrel giggled at the snide shot. The others ignored him, Naralei scolded him.

“
This isn't the time, Banth.”

Banthan glared at Naralei, “It was just a joke.”

Mari chortled, “Banth would know all about jokes, Nara, since he is one! Ha ha ha!”

Loraleth tensed up, “Don't call him that, Mari!”

Mari grinned sheepishly, “I was just playing, really!”

Naralei raised a hand to silence the feud, “That's enough, settle down.”

She turned to Sawain again, “You're going to have to be a little more specific. You're new here, so let me just give you a rundown on what we are about to face. The Trial of Thorns is not your average obstacle course. It is an advanced training ground that simulates the dangers of outer Alfhaven. We're talking about everything from Razorthorns to snare vines, shifting landmarks, and, if we're lucky, Siethtakar or Tribals.”

Sawain remembered the name Siethtakar. It was the word Jatharr used when describing the magic infused animals of Alfhaven. He nodded, relieved that he actually knew what one of the obstacles was.

“I can handle Siethtakar. I killed a Siethtakar wolf on my way from Anvilheim with a makeshift weapon.”

Naralei hummed and looked at Sawain differently this time, “Alright, Sawain. You'll be in the back. Keep Mari and Timbrel safe. You will keep an eye out for movement. Whatever you do, don't fall behind.”

Sawain nodded. He did not like being stuck in the back, but he was the newcomer. He felt like Naralei was just trying to keep him out of the way.

Fine. I'll play it your way for now.

The team took their positions in a loose circle. Sawain got behind Mari and Timbrel. Mari glanced back at him and winked slyly.

“
Better watch out, Sawain! Don't let Nara Tree-t you like a sap! Ahahah! Get it?”

Sawain shook his head, confused. Mari frowned and looked overly depressed.

“You're no fun.”

Naralei glanced over her shoulder at her team, “Everyone ready? Let's stick to the trees, like always. Best to not have to worry about the quicksand at all. Hope you can climb, Sawain.”

Sawain did play in the orchard trees a lot as a child. He had that experience to rely on. He smiled and nodded, mostly because he understood Mari's pun now..

“Lead the way. I can keep up.”

She returned the smile, then made a sweeping check over her team again, “Alright, Mirehawk, let's move. When we start moving, spread out, stay silent. If we can avoid the enemy, we'll have fewer things to worry about. Remember, move like ghosts. The Captain is watching, so let's give him a good show.”

Chapter 6

Naralei gave the signal. Everyone scaled the nearest tree nimbly, except Tobi. He struggled to get to the first bough. Naralei had to stoop down and pull him up. He clung to the trunk of the tree, trying to keep balance. Sawain did not make it look as graceful as the others, but he was able to climb the branch-laden tree with no problem.

He kept an eye on Naralei. She made a forward sweeping motion with her hand. The others leaped to the closest tree in that direction. Sawain assumed that was a forward command and did the same. He quickly found two branches that were close together and used the bending bough he was on as a spring board. He jumped to the nearby branch, which sagged dangerously under his weight. He reached out and grabbed a branch above his head to stabilize himself and to let some of the stress off of his supporting branch.

He quickly moved to the trunk, where the branch was thicker. He scanned the trees for his companions. They were nowhere to be seen. In a panic, he quickly looked for the next tree. He made a running jump for the closest one he could find. The bough was thick, so he had no problems with it.

He hopped from tree to tree, looking for his team. He caught a glimpse of movement up ahead and felt hope flutter in his chest. He headed in the direction of the movement while he jumped from branch to branch. The more he did it, the easier it came. He grew more confident once he knew that he could move through the trees almost as well as an Alfhaven native.

A dark figure shifted in Sawain's peripheral vision to the right. He turned, expecting to see a team mate, but instead saw a pair of flashing red eyes. A high pitched, warbling war cry rang out from the shadowy figure and Sawain felt a sharp pain in his right bicep as a javelin flew past him and grazed his arm.

He drew his sword and pointed it at the assailant. Nerves began to take over as more of the war cries echoed in response.

These must be the tribals. Where are the others?

The tribal attacking Sawain jumped out of the shadows, brandishing a wooden spear. He looked like an elf, but his skin and hair were dark as the forest. It was hard for Sawain to trace his movements. The spear lunged for Sawain's chest. He could see that, at least. He jumped backwards, knocking the spear away with the flat of his blade.

His feet did not find another branch when he leaped backwards. He fell and bounced off of a nearby limb before catching a low hanging bough with one arm. He swung himself onto the bough and clung to it with terrified fervor. More javelins whizzed through the darkness. They somehow missed Sawain.

He scrambled back to his feet and scanned the thick woods for movement. He could hear them, but he could not see them.
Another javelin flew at him from nearby. He ducked it, then threw himself in that direction, screaming like a terror. The darkness faded as red light filled his eyes. He saw the outline of his attacker. He noticed the stunned look in her eyes as his sword cut into her flesh, spilling her blood. Sawain released a barrage of slashes that caused the elf to crumple and dissipate into wisps of shadow.

He scanned the forest again. Now he could see them in the branches. He roared and climbed higher into his tree. Another tribal jumped at him, wielding a spear. Sawain caught the spear midair and twisted it, using the momentum to catch the tribal off balance. He flung the unfortunate elf from the tree. He screamed and flailed as he plummeted. He hit the ground with a surprising, almost muddy splash. Sawain looked down and saw him flailing and screaming as the ground swallowed him alive.

Sawain turned to his next target, the inner rage growing hotter. He saw another volley of javelins hurl toward him. His heightened reflexes allowed him to chop one in half and knock another off of its trajectory. The third one embedded itself into his thigh. He felt pain, but his fevered mind translated it as instigation.

He ripped the javelin from his leg and threw it back the way it came. It did not fly long before it hit one of the tribals in the chest with a loud thud. The victim of the javelin fell from the tree without a sound. Her lifeless body hit the quicksand below and sank slowly beneath the churning mire as black flames consumed it.

A flurry of knives flew past him. Most of them clanked off of trees or stuck into branches. One of them hit one of the tribals in the thigh. He yelled in surprise and quickly pulled it from his leg. He barked out in a strange language and the remaining attackers scattered into the depths of the forest.

Sawain was about to take pursuit when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whirled around, slashing wildly with his blade, growling like a fiend. Naralei barely jumped back quick enough to avoid the deadly steel. Terror and confusion flashed across her face, quickly replaced by anger.

“What do you think you're doing?! You broke rank and left your team! You could have been killed if this was a real mission!”

Sawain glared at her, confused. The red faded from his vision and his reasoning returned to him.

“What do you mean if it was a real mission?”

Naralei retorted harshly, “This is a training mission, we won't actually die in here, but we are being watched and you probably just failed us for breaking rank.”

Sawain spoke through grit teeth, “What do you mean? You left me before I had a chance to get ready!”

Naralei shook her head fervently, “No, we didn't! It is a stealth mission. We were being still and silent while everyone moved into position. I tried to get your attention, but you're as observant as a blind troll!”

Sawain snapped back, “You shouldn't disappear until everyone knows where you are!”

Naralei was ready to retort when a yell from behind stopped her. Mari and Timbrel hopped over to Sawain and Naralei. Mari held her left arm, which was red with blood. Mari looked panicked and Timbrel bounced around everyone's feet in frantic circles. Mari's tone was shrill when she spoke.

“Razorthorn! Moving in fast!”

Naralei glanced quickly in the direction Mari came from. Sawain followed her glance. It was hard to see, but easy to hear. The forest lurched and churned as what looked like a giant serpent made of foot long, sword-like thorns ripped through the undergrowth and up into a nearby tree. It was as wide as an oak and at least twice as long.

It was also heading their way.

Naralei shouted in a panic, “Break cover! Move!”

The elves quickly leaped from tree to tree in a frantic effort to get away from the churning mass of deadly thorns. Sawain was quick to follow. He ran and jumped to the next tree moments before the Razorthorn shredded the branch he was standing on into compost.

They fled clumsily, while they did whatever they could think of to slow the titanic monster down. Loraleth turned and flung a pair of throwing knives  at the beast, which hit their mark, but were swallowed up in the churning mass. Naralei yelled out to her.

“Don't bother attacking this thing, just run!”

Sawain was content to obey, until running was no longer an option. A flurry of javelins from ahead greeted them when they burst into the next clearing. He ducked to avoid them. Tobi nearly took a javelin in the chest, but he was near Sawain, so he tugged his clumsier friend down with him. They both clung to their branches for a moment. Sawain bounced back up, glancing at Tobi, who was still clinging to the branch.

“Tobi, get up! We're about to be eaten by a plant!”

Tobi struggled to his feet, glancing behind him at the creature that was quickly gaining on them now.

“It's not necessarily a plant. It's an  elemental. Once it's enraged, it won't stop until its target is dead or it is.”

They moved to the tree to the right as another volley of javelins narrowly missed their mark. Sawain growled.

“How do I kill it?”

Tobi shrugged, “It's an elemental. How do you kill a force of nature?”

Sawain had an idea. He sheathed his blade as his plan formulated. He noticed  a throwing knife in Tobi's belt similar to Loraleth's. He took it from him and looked around the clearing. He noticed several of the dimly glowing vines were draped over the open ground, attached to the hungry flowers above that he easily recognized. He noticed the ground below was level and muddy looking. He assumed it meant another pit of quicksand. The others were crouching behind tree trunks, trying to return volleys of knives between volleys of javelins. He spotted Mari and Timbrel.

“
Mari! Can you use your magic to subdue the tribals?”

She looked visibly shaken. Timbrel shook her, then answered Sawain.

“I think we know a lullaby that can deal with these pests! But Mari won't budge!”

Sawain was surprised that the Pankin could talk. He did not have time to reflect on this new revelation.

“Get her up. I need those javelins to stop flying!”

Timbrel nodded, then turned to Mari, shaking her as hard as his tiny paws could, “Ya hear that, lass? We're needed on the front line! Time to strike up a lullaby!”

Sawain saw her stir slightly, then hesitantly nod. She shook with fear as she pulled her flute out.

Sawain was out of time. The chanting of the tribals stopped as the tree behind Sawain exploded into thousands of splinters. Sawain prayed quickly as he jumped toward one of the vines, arm outstretched.

Lord Turin, I need your divine power to destroy this monster.

Before his prayer was finished, the familiar sensation of electricity ran from his chest to his fingertips and seared his muscles. He ground his teeth, bearing the pain and twisted in the air to throw the charged knife. It flew surprisingly well, given he had never practiced with a throwing knife.

It struck the rampaging elemental and burst into flames, which threw it off of its current trajectory. Sawain's outstretched hand touched the vine. The sticky, acidic tongue of the flower immediately wrapped around his arm and pulled upward. He fell toward the ground. The Razorthorn dove after him, enraged by the fiery knife.

Sawain's fall broke inches from the ground as the vine pulled itself upward. His momentum allowed him to swing forward. He drew the sword Nerelis gave him with his free hand as the writhing mass of wooden blades crashed into the ground hard. He sliced the vine above his arm as he reached the high point of his maneuver. He felt the vine loosen as he launched through the air.

He landed in a tree on the other side of the clearing. He was inches away from one of the tribals who ambushed them. He did not notice the beautiful, slow song that drifted on the damp air until now. The elf's eyes glazed over and stared sleepily in the direction of the song. Sawain did not hesitate.

He buried the blade of his sword into the defenseless elf's chest, then ripped it out. The fatal wound broke the spell Mari's song had over the tribal. He gasped, then collapsed, falling from the tree. Sawain glanced around to his left and right. Banthan and Loraleth came from both sides of the clearing, cutting down any of the entranced enemies they came across. More knives whirred through the air, picking off a pair of foes that were shaking free from the enchantment.

Sawain looked below him and saw the Razorthorn thrashing madly in the quicksand beneath him. Once, his heart skipped a beat when he thought the elemental would break free of the vacuum-like muck that swallowed it alive. His worry was in vain. The team watched in awe as the giant sand pit eventually won against the Razorthorn and pulled it into the dark depths.

Everyone cheered as the terror ended, even Banthan, though he stayed back while the others rushed Sawain. Many back slaps and hugs ensued while they chanted his name. He noticed Naralei's hug lasted the longest. When she let go, her eyes glistened and she smiled broadly.

“I was wrong about you, Sawain. I'm sorry for all the cruel things I said back there. You are an amazingly fast thinker. How did you make that knife explode like that?”

Sawain flexed his still burning arm while he returned the smile, “I drew on some of Turin's power. It's dangerous for me to do without my focus, but I had to do something. I'm just glad it worked.”

She stared at him in wonder and shook her head. She lightly punched his sore arm. He instinctively winced.

“
I'm glad it did too, but one rule you might want to remember is that a leader never admits to his team that he was just guessing.”

Sawain was taken aback. He did not expect to be called a leader, especially so soon. He wiped the surprised expression from his face and nodded.

“So, I guess we'd better finish this course.”

Naralei nodded, then glanced around to count heads, “Everyone here? Great. Let's make for the exit. Shouldn't be much trouble left, but stay alert, just in case.”

Naralei pushed into the thicket and the rest of her team followed her. Sawain stayed in the middle of the group this time, to make sure he did not loose them again. Tobi traveled alongside him, smiling like a child who was given a piece of cake all for himself.

The rest of the mission was relatively quiet. They had to avoid more deadly plants, pointed out by Tobi, but it was not difficult once they saw them. Sawain began to notice Tobi's true gift and understood why Nerelis must have kept him on the team.

They emerged from the briar grove soon. They were bloodied and battered, but not broken. The group of friends clasped hands with each other and exchanged congratulations. Nerelis emerged from the tangle seconds after them, completely unscathed. The team lined up in front of him and stood up straight, with their hands at their sides. Sawain mimicked them closely. Nerelis folded his hands behind his back, smiling coyly.