Legends of Belariath
Hesketh
Feast of the Unicorn - Part Two
Darkness.....shadow.....the glow of small crystals and the flicker of torchlight, this was all the Sheyka ranger saw as he descended the stairs into the realm of his most hated foe, eyes of violet sweeping the area cautiously. He exhaled slowly, the arrow knocked in his father's bow, voices ahead, the sounds of celebration, this was not a large city but more like a border outpost he realized, perhaps with only sixty people or so. He crept forward, careful not to make a sound, the center of the town was several tables lined with food and drink, a celebration, the foul dark elves filling their guts with meat and wine, seeming to throw many of their cares to the winds for now. Their mistake Hesketh thought, eyes sweeping around as he found what he wanted, torches and the oil soaked cloth that was used to wrap them for the light source, or even for starting fires, what the dark ones used it for he didn't care. Now was not the time to be thinking on their lifestyle.
He began his plan, placing the oil soaked cloth in various places, on rooftops, under doors, occasionally breaking a window and placing one there, the time would soon arise he knew, time to burn this abomination to the ground. Several hours passed, celebrations died and night guards began to take their positions. He knew none of the guards would have drunk any wine else there would be no guard. The bow was slung over his shoulder as he pulled his short spear and dagger free, dropping from a rooftop onto two of the guard, putting his spear through the throat of one and his dagger in the eye of the second, dropping them quickly as he set the torch alight with his flint and steel. Moving swiftly he set every building in the outpost to flame, the screams of those trapped within the burning structures echoing in the cavern, he quickly took another position with his bow, sending arrow after arrow into those that tried to escape. Then something caught his attention from the corner of his eye, he turned just in time to block a sword with the bow his father had given him, snapping it in two as he growled, slamming his fist into the dark elven woman's gut as he shoved her against the wall, pulling his spear and dagger free as he stepped back, taking his stance, waiting for her, she readied herself as well, and set in the shoulder pieces of her leather armor where the horns of the unicorns, bringing a loud growl from the Sheyka ranger “You will pay for the lives you have taken.....”
Then she lashed for him with her sword, fast as a snake, his own dagger moving as if he himself where composed of lightning, sending her sword to the side. He struck with the spear but she was fast as well, moving to the side away from him though it clipped her ear. Their deadly dance took two steps to the right as they continued their motions, she struck with sword and gauntleted fist, he countered with spear or dagger and returned with a strike of his own, for almost half an hour this dance persisted, to the rhythm of death and the beat of falling timber. Their battle a blacksmith's symphony as steel rang and scraped along. Sparks illuminating the faces of the battlers, one red eyed female, one masked and angered Sheyka male. She managed to land a glancing slash across his right cheek from ear to chin along the jaw line. He cried out in pain just as his dagger caught in her armor, using his strength he began to yank her, sending her off balance as he drove his spear into her spine through the bare waist of the armor, hurling her from the rock ledge with the continued motion, her scream one of pain then of horror as she fell into the flames of the burning buildings below her, for a long moment her screams continued then silenced with the collapsing roof her fall had fully weakened.
The walk back up the long stairs to the surface was pure agony, his deed having been completed the strength bestowed upon him had gone, every muscle in his body burned like the inferno he left in the cavern. But everything had been set to right, the deaths where avenged, blood for blood, life for life it was all done....he looked to the moon in the night sky then he let loose a howl, which stemmed from his very soul, echoing long into the night as he staggered to a tree, sinking down against it to fall into slumber.....
Again the mist in his dreams and the white wolves approached, they all spoke in unison “Well done our child, the deed is done and all is put to right....rest well and we shall guard you.”
He awoke around noon the next day, standing and looking around before he began to walk to the east, returning once more to his tribe, the returning journey taking him almost two months where they trip there had taken only around three weeks. Upon his return home when asked what happened all he would say is he was following a sign....never to reveal the true tale......