Archives: Lost Humanity
Chapter 11: Lost Along the Road
Even with Sara leading, and being on one of the main roads, somehow Al and the others managed to stray too far off course and found themselves lost somewhere between Dragon Scale and Dragon Eye. Due to the nature of their current predicament Al called for a full stop so he could check the map to see if they could find their bearings.
“How can anyone find their way around in all this green? Everything looks the same to me!” he exclaimed exasperatedly. With Flaim it was easy for foreigners to get lost in the dunes, but even the constantly shifting dunes of the Storm and Fire desert would seem more pleasurable than the dank, moist forest air to the two Flaimites.
“I think I saw a farming village a little ways back, master Al,” Elainne piped up. “Although that may have been hours ago, and I’m not sure if it was on the map. I also swore I saw a tower to the west a shortly before we...lost our way.”
Almelchaya grimaced and ruffled up his hair. “West...west...which way is west exactly?” Al was frustrated at being lost on his first trip to Moss.
Zylanthian Baratoice, by contrast, was at home in Moss. Unfortunately for everyone, a blind man was useless in identifying the area around him. Moss was not the dynamic landscape that some others were and the old man not a good enough hermit to identify the land by soil. “If you wouldn’t mind being led about by the blind, sir knight, I may be able to find you what you need...”
Aroal looked to the sun, peeking out from behind the trees. It answered Al’s question, but she would have to translate; “That way is west,” Aroal jerked her thumb to her left.
“Oh,” Al grumbled. I should have realized that. He helped down Zylanthian from his horse. His ego couldn’t possibly be more bruised than it already was, so getting led around by a blind man might as well lead them in the direction of some semblance of civilization. “Lead the way Zylan.”
Zylan lowered his head, looking down at the ground with his eyes closed. “Good Madame Nature, pick up on the wind the warmth and smell of the closest hearth for these old bones to rest by...” It sounded more like shamanism than the magic of humans, but the smell of wood burning assailed the nostrils. The smell of fresh baking followed.
“Huh...” the old man huffed. “Two different directions,” he muttered. The wolves were examining the distinct scent trails, easily navigated even without the accuracy of a canine sense of smell. “Baking or fire burning. It is up to you, sir knight.”
Mieijha sighed inwardly. My preference would be the baking. Where there is baking there is usually accommodations, and that means a bath, possibly. Oh, bathing, how I long for your soapy caress of my skin, to ease the aches of these bones and fill my body with warmth.
Sara stuck her nose up in the air and tried to catch a whiff of the sent, but was unsuccessful. She started roaming around the group try to find it, until one of the horse broke wind. She fell flat on her butt from the shear smell of it. “Well I guess my nose will never be as keen as it was,” she said rather randomly.
Aroal chuckled slightly at Sara, then tried to sample the air herself. She couldn’t smell smoke at all, which was to be expected. “Well, I vote baking,” she replied. “If there’s a town, then we can get directions.”
Al nodded. “Yeah, good idea. Wood burning does not necessarily mean ‘helpful people’ are around it. Lead the way towards the baking scent, mister Zylan.”
Following the lessons he learned from nature, Zylan pointed about down a side road towards the direct north. Though he could only give a direction, they pressed on through whatever obstacles got in their way. Eventually, passing through a large hedgerow, they found a quiet hamlet. A few houses, gathered together, and made in the same fashion, surrounded a tiny town center and what looked to be a small temple. “Scones,” the old man declared, taking a big whiff. “Someone is baking my favorite tea cake.” He turned his head back to no one in particular. “Does it look hospitable, good knight?”
Al looked around. While there was the smell of baking it seemed like no one was outside to greet anyone. The streets, what little could be called streets, were as silent as the wood around. In the outlying forest there was very slight movement, but no songs of nature or sounds of man were to be heard from the huts.
“It’s too quiet,” Al growled lowly. “Regardless of the time, there should at least be some people out and about. Elainne, dismount and guard Myel and Mieijha. Sara, scout around the outskirts of the village but stay out of sight. Aroal and I will start checking houses. Zylan, I’d prefer if you’d stay with Elainne and the others, but if you’d like to seek out the baker, take them with you. I trust that if the scones don’t smell burnt, then the people here wouldn’t have gone far, or not left the village at all,” Al stated, and waited for any complaints from the group.
“I think I’ll take to the hunt, myself. Old habits die hard and my companions itch to be on the prowl.” Concentrating for just a second, he informed Ludwig and and Wolfgang of the concerns. In a second, they were front and center at his side. The old man almost fell out of his saddle to get out, shortness of old age made him feel more like a dwarf on a dragon than a man on a horse.
Patting each on the head, and nodding without a word, the wolves turned and ran off through the hedgerows. “Fine ladies, shall we dine?”
* * *
Aroal nodded to Al and silently went about the duty of searching. She took the closest door in town, which seemed to be a residence and knocked on the door.
“We have nothing else to take!” came a voice from within the house Aroal knocked on. “Please, just leave...”
The mercenary was relieved to hear that people were alive here. It sounded like the village was being terrorized, however. “I am not a thief,” Aroal called. “We are merely travelers. May I speak to you?”
“Depends!” came an older man’s voice. “What are you wearing?”
“Grandpa!” came a collective choir of women’s voices.
The first voice spoke up again, “The door’s unlocked. You can come in, but be quick. We can’t let the raiders see you enter the house otherwise they may come and attack us again tonight.”
Aroal rolled her eyes at the old man’s comment, but she came in anyway, after a cautionary glance over her shoulder. Shutting the door behind her, Aroal looked over the family huddled inside. An old man, portly middle-aged woman, and three younger girls, none of adult age yet. They were obviously the daughter of the elder woman, but had her husband fallen victim to the raiders?
“My name is Aroal,” she introduced herself. “I am a mercenary traveling with a company of...adventurers. We were lost in the forest and found our way here.”
“I’m Dana, my daughters Elise, Farah and Cassie,” the portly woman stated. “This is my father, Hammond.” Dana paused momentarily. “A mercenary you said? Are you and your friends for hire? We could use some help. They—they took all the men!”
“I’m still here,” Hammond commented.
“Correction, they took all the useful men,” Dana said sharply.
“My friends aren’t mercenaries, but we should be able to help,” Aroal replied. I can’t walk away from these people, at least, she thought to herself.
“Oh thank you. Thank you so much,” Dana said with tears coming to her eyes. “We’ll help out in whatever way is possible.”
* * *
Sara took off quickly and quietly. She roamed the tree tops as only she could. Her eyes were steady and sharp. Then she saw it, a path had been trampled from the forest to the village. Sara wasn’t sure what did it just yet but the pattern was violent and chaotic. She decided to stay put for a while to see if anything would emerge.
While Aroal was having some luck with Dana and her family, a small scouting party near Sara took up positions near the outskirts of the village and observed the newcomers as silently and stealthily as possible. The six women, all clad in animal furs and mud over their bare skin, would be nearly indistinguishable from an animal at a distance.
Time passed and Sara saw nothing emerge, so she made her way back and tried to find the others. She spent some time wandering between homes and alleys.
* * *
After speaking with the family, Aroal went to catch up with Al. The knight was still checking on doors, and it seemed none of the families were willing to risk saying anything to him.
“Al!” she called after him, catching up with a quick jog.
Al heard Aroal call for him, so he turned to face her, as she jogged forth. At first his eyes were drawn the the amount of movement but his eyes quickly shot upwards to her face as she neared. “Found something?” he asked as innocuously as possible.
“I found something,” Zylanthian said, hobbling up to the doorway. “Scones, freshly baked.” In his hand was a small basket, lifted from a closed windowsill. “What kind of place is this? Walks like a hamlet...”
“A family let me in,” Aroal started to explain, since the question was originally directed toward her. “They said that the village is being raided nightly, and they fear that the raiders are watching them even now. They practically begged for me to help them.”
Al chuckled at Zylanthian and nodded to Aroal. “Of course we’d help. Although this isn’t my country, it’s my duty as a knight to protect those in need,” Al said. “I’ll just beat the raiders with my sheath—it saves time unsheathing it,” he joked, but there was the obvious reason why he couldn’t unsheathe it.
“It is a hamlet, Zylan,” Al said, finally returned his attention to the old man. “Elainne and I will gladly help out. Zylan, are you willing to help these people out as well?”
“I hate to boast, my emotionally unstable companion, but I am not merely a scholar, but a gentleman as well.” Zylan chuckled, scratching his beard. “These old bones are accustomed to aiding others. I just hope the reward comes in the form of one of these scrumptious morsels here...” He took another delicate sniff of the goods before him. “No man is richer than the one tasting a woman’s tastiest treats...” he said longingly. The beard hid his little smirk.
Al gave a small smile. At least Zylan was aboard. Now all he had to ask the same of was Myel-Elina, Sara, and Mieijha. Speaking of, where were the women folk that had gone off with Zylan? “Hey, Zylan, where are the womenfolk? They don’t seem to be with you,” Al commented.
“I offered company and began to walk inwards after the smell, but I’m afraid they did not follow me,” Zylanthian responded. He lowered his head for a moment before looking back. “Ludwig says that they are waiting at our point of ingress still. Sara is farther to the eastern side.”
“I see,” Al said softly. “Well, Aroal, I’ll leave negotiations and accommodations to your able ability and I’ll fetch the women folk at the entrance.”
Aroal gave a nod to Al, then turned and jogged back to the home of the villagers she had spoken to. Getting his response from Aroal, Al began the walk towards the entrance they used.
* * *
With a knock at their door, Aroal politely waited to be invited back inside. Perhaps they could organize a town meeting. As for accommodation, Aroal considered looking for an inn in town, but failing that, these villagers would probably be willing to free up a few rooms in exchange for their salvation.
Aroal’s knock was followed by sound of the door unlocking. “You can come in again if you’d like,” Dana responded.
Zylanthian stuck close with Aroal, looking more for a comfortable chair than anything else. Even in the pits of hell, the old coot could find something to take comfort in. And never was there a concern. “Your kindness is without fathom, miss,” he said, tapping his cane against the doorway to detect the step. “Up we go...” he breathed, securing his foot before stepping up and in...
Aroal stepped in behind Zylan, letting the old man enter first. “I’ve spoken to our leader and he’s willing to help,” she told Dana. “This is Zylan, one of my companions.” Realizing that the old blind sage didn’t look especially helpful, Aroal added; “He is a mage.”
Zylanthian chuckled. “A title befitting a half-witted hermit with a knack for not doing actual work,” he said, grinning through his old beard. “Don’t worry, madame. The things most valuable to see have little to do with sight. And I saw these scones from miles away...”
“Well, bless you all,” Dana said wiping a small tear from her eye. “What can we do to help you for helping us?”
“For now, room and board for...” Aroal paused to do a quick count of her comrades, “...seven is all we need.”
“And a large bowl of water,” Zylanthian added. “We haven’t run into any streams lately and travel does a pawed body something terrible without drink.”
* * *
Sara finally saw Al, and decided to drop in beside him from one of the roof tops. She then explained to him about the trampled path she saw. “How did you guys fare?” Sara asked.
“Aroal and Zylanthian are talking over some issues with some of the villagers,” Al explained. “Apparently these villagers are having some difficulty with a few local thugs. I agreed to help, but I left the matter of others joining the fight for this little hamlet completely up to you whether or not you wish to help.”
Sara smiled at Al’s very military approach to his reasoning and wording. “Of course I’ll help, just tell me what you need me to do,” Sara said, assuming Al had some sort of strategic plan boiling in his head.
“Hmm...good question,” Al stated, slowing his pace. “I’m going to fetch Elainne, Mieijha and Myel-Elina, but that’s really a one man job. Aroal is meeting with some of the villagers, and since they know what we’re dealing with, perhaps it’ll be better if you get yourself acquainted with what the problems are in the village before I give you a static post. Just go check in with Aroal and see what she needs you to do.”
Sara saluted Al then let out a small giggle and leaped back off to find Aroal. She was always excited to hang out with Aroal. She followed Al’s tracks backwards to get a idea of where Aroal was. From there she found her pretty quick.
* * *
After finding Dana’s house, Sara walked up to the door softly and knocked.
Dana giggled. “I’m glad you found the bakery, but I’m surprised that the baker wasn’t there...unless she too was taken.” She sighed. “First the men, now the craftsmen? Why would someone do this to us? We haven’t done anything wrong.”
Dana pointed at one of her daughters. “Fetch a bowl of water for Master Zylanthian’s dogs.” Pointing at another of her daughters she gave another order: “Go fetch the townspeople and tell them to meet in the temple.” Before her daughter could exit however, there came a knock on the door. “Is that another of your friends?” Dana asked quietly Aroal.
“Probably, we are traveling in a large group,” Aroal replied. In case it wasn’t one of her companions, she stepped out in front of Dana’s daughter and opened the door, as expected, it was one of her number, Sara to be exact. “Ah, Sara. Come in,” she welcomed the ranger.
“This is my friend Sara,” Aroal announced to the household. “Sara, this is Dana.”
Sara reached out and gave Dana a big hug. “Pleased to meet you!” she said happily. Then she whispered through her teeth, “Where is your bathroom?” as she began her bathroom dance.
Dana was a little taken aback by Sara’s hug, and then by Sara’s sudden question. “We...we have a public outhouse. It’s around the back of the building,” Dana answered. “Pleased to meet you too...”
With Sara dealt with, Dana’s daughters went about their tasks, one getting some water for Ludwig and Wolfgang, and the other getting the townspeople assembled at the temple.
Sara darted out the door and to the outhouse to take care of business. She returned just as quickly so as no to miss a beat.
Upon her return, she turned to Aroal, “Is there anything you’d like me to do, to help out?” she asked her.
Aroal shook her head. “We are just waiting, for now,” she said. At that, Sara decided to go on the roof and just keep a sharp eye out for trouble.
* * *
After observing from afar, the female scouts had counted all the visitors, and it was the younger, handsome knight who caught their attention. They slipped out of the forest and into town. When the knight was alone, they shadowed him from behind the buildings he passed. One would be the bait, a graceful blonde beauty who never failed to hook their prey. The young girl dressed in skins stepped out momentarily from between two homes ahead Almelchaya, then darted back when he saw her.
Al ran ahead towards the girl in skins without thinking things through. His mind had been preoccupied with the sword and it’s curse upon him, and retrieving Elainne and the others. When he saw the girl dart back between two houses, his immediate thoughts were of protecting her from the bandits of which he knew little to nothing of. Following the girl at a sprint he dashed into the space between the two houses where she had disappeared to.
The knight easily fell for the bait. As he chased the girl out of the small alley way, one of the women waiting behind a house hit the back of his head with the pommel of her sword just right, knocking Al to the ground, unconscious. With their prey incapacitated, the women bound his arms and legs to a sturdy branch, which two of their strongest members carried between themselves as they made their escape back into the forest.
Sara heard some noise and saw some rustling in the trees near the border of town. She decided to investigate. By the time she made it to the edge of the town she could barely make out that Al was being dragged away like a goat on a stick. She thought for a split second and decided to let her inhibitions take the best of her. She set her bow down and let out a blood boiling howl.
It was time to see what she could really do in were-form. She gripped the edge of the roof tightly and before she could truly brace herself for it, every pore in her body exploded with fur. Her joints and bones took their painful places and soon she had take her were-form. There she stood with her black and gray fur, her muscles more toned, and her every breath heaving energy. Then, with out thought, she let out another howl and gave chase.
Hearing the fearsome howl, the female raiders paused in their tracks as the entered into the forest. The sound came from the village. The women following from behind waved those ahead of them on. The two carrying Al hurried ahead, leaving the leaders behind as well. These four would keep back whatever was chasing them. They knew that the old man had wolves with him. Perhaps the group had spotted them?
Soon enough, the raiders’ questions were answered as the obvious were-wolven form of Sara came barreling towards them through the underbrush. The women spared only a moment to glance at each other in confusion, then drew their weapons and stood firm, ready to face off against the were-wolf.
* * *
The howl was sent along to Zylanthian, who could just barely hear it. Ludwig, still outside let out his own howl in response and Zylanthian knew exactly what it meant. “We have visitors,” Zylan said quietly. The old man looked to Wolfgang and nodded his head. Wolfgang gave a test growl and shot out the door at a starting speed most dogs couldn’t hope to have. “And now our pack is truly four,” the old man said, looking up Aroal. He hoped she understood.
Aroal’s hackles rose at the sound of the fierce howl. It took her only a moment to understand what Zylan meant, but she soon realized that Sara must have transformed. What happened out there to make her change forms? “I’m going to go see what’s going on,” Aroal said, and strode out of Dana’s home at a quick pace.
* * *
The two wolves moved like flickering shadows, only in one spot for a split second. Each came from different directions. As Sara came forward, Ludwig was already at their flank, since he was out exploring close by. The whisper in his lupine ears to follow the half-wolf and aid her was clear. She was charging. And so was he. Ludwig launched himself from the brush to the side, bolting forward at a horrifying speed, even for a wolf.
Sara made haste. When she caught up with the stragglers she realized had they made themselves ready for her. It was too late though she couldn’t slow down and there would be no point in trying now. The animal side took over her instincts but she was still in control. She quickly pounced on top of one of the women, only pinning her down by the arms and legs and then quickly gave the rest a sharp stare and a deep growl. If they made one false move she would surely tear the lady limb from limb. Meanwhile, she was keeping an eye out for which way they took Al.
As one of their number were pinned by the werewolf, the women looked at each other, trying to decide whether or not to risk their companion’s life or retreat. However, if left in the clutches of a werewolf, they assumed she was doomed either way. However, the two wolves flanking the werewolf were equally intimidating. Could they handle them? If they retreated, they could find reinforcements if the werewolf pursued. The raiders decided to retreat, and fell back into the forest, leaving their comrade to the wolves.
Sara decided to keep her victim pinned, rather then give chase. She attempted to talk, but she hadn’t gotten use to her stretched vocal chords. Frustrated with the attempted she just let out another howl. Sara hoped the others would arrive soon and they could interrogated the warrior she had pinned, because her vocals weren’t ready.
Ludwig watched the others retreat, begrudgingly following the will of his alpha. Instead, he approached his half-sister. Wolfgang skidded to a stop next to Sara as well, ready to kill, even if there wasn’t much to do anymore. Meanwhile, Zylan mind-spoke with Ludwig. They decided to let them go. Their scent was left behind already. Let them leave their scent all the way back to wherever they were sleeping. The hunt would begin later.
* * *
Out by the entrance of the city, Myel-Elina, Mieijha, and Elainne were still waiting for a signal to come in. Apparently, they had missed the part about following Zylan into town. As Myel-Elina heard the howls, she was chilled to the bone. Even though she was knowingly traveling with two wolven familiars and a were-wolf, the bard still couldn’t stand to hear them. What had them riled up though? If she could put a voice to those howls, it would have been a battle cry. “Perhaps we should go in and find Sir Al,” she suggested. However, before they had a chance to reply, Myel-Elina saw Aroal hurrying towards them.
As the barbarian mercenary came into hearing range, she waved her hand to beckon the three toward her. She hadn’t found Almelchaya yet, but she continued on to where he was supposed to be going. “Has anyone seen Al?” she asked.
“No, no we haven’t,” Elainne stated. “Was Master Al supposed to have come this way?” The squire was genuinely concerned for her knight’s wellbeing, however, panicking in this moment, if something had happened to him, would be a breach of all her training.
Mieijha on the other hand, wasn’t quite so calm. “What if something happened to him?” the shamaness spoke her fears aloud. This whole scene with the almost empty town had shaken her foundations a bit and caused her normally calm facade to crack.
Aroal frowned. What could have happened, and was Sara’s howl related to that? “Come with me, the villagers are setting up accommodations for us,” Aroal said, then turned to lead the way in, moving at a fast pace, and brought the group to Dana’s home.
“Right.” Elainne nodded in agreement and nudged her horse forward, following Aroal to Dana’s home.
* * *
The old man nodded his head to no one in particular. “Never tempt the wrath of nature, my dear,” Zylan said to Dana. “Her servants are fickle and can seek you out wherever you run. Already, you have one less of these men to worry about.”
“But how do you know?”
“Don’t doubt your elders, child. We’ve learned a trick or two. Now fetch me some rope...”
“A scary thought indeed,” Dana stated in response to Zylan.
The plump housewife came out to greet everyone with a rather worried expression on her face. “Are these the rest of your friends?” Dana asked. “We’d better get you girls indoors as soon as possible. Sounds like a rowdy bunch of wolves are coming awfully close to the village.” Being a woman from a forested village, she knew the sounds that wolves made, and feared them rightly. Although wolves would never come this close to the village, the sound that she heard was almost right above her and it shook her to the core. Only now, minutes after the noise had startled her she was recovering.
One of the women managed an old rope used to pull wood from the forest, which the blind man took from her rather adeptly for his age and disability. “It would be wise for you to lock your doors,” Zylanthian said as he went to the door and opened it calmly and stepped out, hurrying off in the direction of Sara and Ludwig.
As the other women were welcomed by Dana, Aroal’s eyes drifted towards the forest in the direction of the howling. Something was not sitting right with her. Had Al and Sara encountered some raiders? “Stay with Dana,” Aroal told Elainne and the other two women. “I will be back.” With that, the barbarian mercenary joined Zylan as he tracked his wolves.
“Do you know what they went after?” she asked the old man as she caught up with him.
* * *
The defeated female warrior trembled under Sara’s paws, waiting for a killing blow from the werewolf. Werewolves lost all sense of humanity when they changed after all... didn’t they? It could hardly be a trained werewolf!
—-END—-
