Tales of Eleutheros

Daniel squinted through the thick vegetation as he sat with the rest of his squad, waiting for the prey they had been stalking to waltz unwittingly into position. Before them were dozens of armed Rexunii raiders walking in a loose formation down a road. Albeit not members of the Rexunii forces, the feeling was the same. An air of vengeance hung around them as the Lokkadonian warriors hid. Daniel felt a pit of anger rising in his heart. He hated these people. They had captured one of his own and killed many warriors from the clan that had been kind enough to house and protect them. Daniel took a deep breath and let it out slowly in an attempt to control his rapidly beating heart.

“Dan,” Delmos whispered from within the vegetation, hidden from Daniel’s sight. “Thirty seconds,” he said.

“Got it,” Daniel responded, looking toward the raiders. He inspected them again, analyzing their weapons and gear. Few had the iconic Dae armor, made from bone. Instead most were clad in thick clothes, or armor made from hardened animal hide.

A Lokkadonian horn blasted, and Daniel leapt from his hiding spot and into the road. Drawing his blade, he charged with Lokkadonian warriors to his left and right straight toward a startled enemy. The raiders clambered to form up, stumbling to draw their weapons. Their execution was sloppy at best, and the warriors of Lokkon took full advantage of it. Dae-Voh created a waist-high wall on both sides of the road that began to move with the Lokkadonian charge, forcing the raiders to either back up into each other, or get over the wall. They attempted to use their own Dunamis to counter it, but to no avail. The Lokkadonian warriors began to hurl fire and wind into the mass of raiders. Small defenses rose to block the attack, but they melted away at the onslaught.

Daniel raised his hand at the raiders and felt the power of the Dunamis rising within. As he got closer, he unleashed a ball of crimson fire at them. A small wall of stone rose to meet the attack and Daniel watched as his fire exploded, melting the wall in seconds, and disbursing red, fiery death to half a dozen Dae around the blast. In a single stride, he leapt over the short wall, and into the fray. A raider raised his spear and thrust it at Daniel’s chest. With practiced ease, Daniel parried it to the side and swung his blade through the Dae’s neck, parting his head from his shoulders. Time slowed as the adrenalin pumped through his body. A fleeting feeling of remorse passed through Daniel’s mind. He hadn’t killed in years. But he was conditioned for situations like this. Numb to any momentary hesitation that might plague others in battle.

Daniel pressed on, changing through the many forms Oros and Delmos had taught him. Two new opponents met him, one with another spear, and the other with a short blade. Strength and speed surged in Daniel’s body as he deftly maneuvered around their attacks, knocking the short blade aside while entirely dodging the spear. In one motion, he swung his sword horizontally to the left, passing through both of their unarmored abdomens. The two Dae crumpled to the bloodied soil below, screaming in agony as they attempted to hold their innards in place.

A massive explosion to Daniel’s left halted his deadly advance. Daniel turned to see a large plume of smoke billowing into the sky. A Dae-Rah had used a potent attack, and he searched for whether the culprit was a friend or foe.

“Dan!” a familiar voice called from behind him, just as the roar of battle was beginning to resume.

Turning, Daniel saw Delmos, covered in blood, fighting his way toward him.

“That’s got to be their leader,” Delmos said, clasping Daniel’s shoulder as he approached. “There aren’t enough of these bastards left to fight.”

Daniel glanced around and noticed that the battle was quickly coming to a close. Rexun raiders were strewn about the soil beneath, some writhing in pain, others still.

Daniel and Delmos made their way toward the scene of the explosion and found an armored Dae lying on the ground, grasping his stomach in pain. Above him, looking no worse for wear, was Oros.

“Will you surrender?” Oros asked, his voice calm. “You won’t have another chance.”

“Curse you!” the Dae said, spitting blue blood toward Oros. “Lokkadonian filth!”

Daniel pressed forward, removing his helmet and looking at Oros. “We need him alive,” he said, turning to face the Dae. “You’re the leader of this raiding party, aren’t you?”

The Dae looked at him with his eyes wide, fear began to show on his face, and he shook his head. “You…” he said, before coughing up blood. “You’re one of the Spirit-Sent.”

“Seen any others?” Daniel asked. “Your people captured one not too long ago.”

The wounded Dae shook his head, seeming to stem another cough. “We’ve heard nothing. We were paid to clear the battlefield, we know nothing else,” he said, lurching forward and hacking up more blood.

“Paid by who?” Oros asked, stepping closer.

“Obviously by Lord Turak,” Delmos said, as he approached the downed raider and knelt to meet his eyes. “We have healers, friend—no need to die here in the mud. We need information on the forces behind this atrocity you and your kind afflicted upon us. We’re short on time and don’t have any issues killing you here if you give us nothing.”

Several moments passed as the dying Dae thought. “You… you’ll heal me?”

“Yes,” Delmos said with a smile creeping its way on his face. “We’re not savages like the Rexunii.”

“Come to think of it,” the Dae continued, “I did pass several armies on the way here. Hundreds of thousands of warriors, waiting for you Cro’kan fuckers to make your way south.” The raider grunted in pain, then began laughing. “You’ll never reach Thule. Kill me now or later. I’m at peace with the great spirits.”

Oros shook his head in frustration. “We’ll get nothing more from him. Delmos, assist this filth in his departure to the afterlife.”

“Yes, my Kryo,” Delmos said, standing and drawing his incisor.

“You’ll all burn in the end!” the raider shouted, before two Lokkadonian warriors grabbed him by the arms and leaned him forward, exposing the back of his neck.

Delmos raised his blade and brought it down in a quick strike, severing the raider’s head.

Daniel didn’t look away from the execution. The Dae died bravely, but held any secrets he might have known. “What now? Do we keep pushing south into Rexun?”

Oros pulled a water skin from his belt and took a long draw. “Perhaps. We need more information. Alektor no doubt has warriors patrolling their borders. We can’t simply sneak in.”

“Not only that, but we would have to devise a plan to sneak into Thule itself,” Delmos said, cleaning his incisor on the cloak of the executed raider. “Then, into the Palace, find where Robert is being held, rescue him and bring him back. Ah, and while we’re there, we could also kill King Alektor.”

“Enough,” Oros said. “We knew this would be a difficult task when we set out.”

“If only it were just difficult, my Kryo,” Delmos said. “The task is impossible. And though it brings me unfathomable amounts of pain to admit it, my sister is correct. This is an impossible mission.”

“So what?” Daniel asked, anger rising within him. “We just wasted our fucking time? We’re out here; we might as well try.”

There was a loud growl behind him, and Daniel turned to see the large, muscled form of Gro’ak resting on the ground amidst the battlefield. Lokkadonian warriors gasped and fell to their knees as they noticed him. Oros and Delmos did the same. Daniel was surprised by the spirit’s sudden appearance but remained standing.

“Do not risk yourself… human,” Gro’ak said, his voice like gravel. “Your safety is what I care for and that of your female companion.”

Daniel took a moment to gather himself. This was the closest thing to a Deity he had ever directly come in contact with, after all. “But what about Robert? He’s one of us; he’s a human too. Isn’t he worth protecting?”

“Robert is beyond you…” Gro’ak said. “My spirits failed to protect him, instead choosing to protect themselves within the safety of the forest. They failed him… and you.”

Daniel’s heart sank at the words. There had to be something he could do. “So I’m supposed to just leave him there?”

“There is a darkness within Thule… human. The spirits of the forest have no power there… a timeless and nameless evil corrupts it,” Gro’ak said. “I will not allow you to wander blindly into its midst.” Gro’ak turned his head to Oros. “Kryo, Oros of House Ignos. I charge you with the well-being of the humans. You are to escort him back to Vul De Rah immediately.”

“I will do as you command,” Oros said, raising his head to look at the Spirit.

“Do not look so sullen.” Gro’ak continued. “Your mission here was not wasted… these raiders were no doubt on their way to pillage and defile any poor village that they came across. Who would fall to their knees in reverence if they knew. And you have your blood.”

“Yes, Great-Spirit.” Oros said, “Thank you for your kind words. I only wish we had more blood from them. The Rexunii have taken a great many warriors from us.”

“Enough for now…” The Spirit shifted, spreading his wings wide. “Your blood toll will be paid in time, Son of Lokkon. Perhaps sooner than you might think…”

As the words finished, Daniel saw the immense spirit begin to sink into the ground. Several moments later, there was nothing; save the lingering presence that could barely be explained. The kind that sent shivers down your spine.