10. Trader (II)
"Cedi, I found out the trader is named Daken and since our intrusion into his home, he has replaced two more personal guards with him." They were sitting in the tavern in the city of Landan having a drink in the corner. They are also dressed as Man and left their weapons at the temporary dwelling but Cedi kept the dagger with him.
"They are from the Judas House and are known as part of the Elite Guards Division which was demobilized after the war. They are the best warriors in the House of Judas, and they numbered not more than twenty of them. Now two of them have re-surfaced here and that means the others could be around."
Cedi heard of the Elite Guards before, added that they are a match with the Guardians of the Dark Valley. But unlike the Guardians, they did not get demobilized but lost their members when they fought on after the war.
"Cedi, I hear the trader is still on the road. He could be returning back from his trip and may have gold in his chests. He would be passing the Widow's Road."
The road known as the Widow's Road as its said that many battles are fought since the creation of this age, and many have died. The Widow Road passed through a dark forest like the one which we have at Dark Valley. If that is the place to trap the Trader, Cedi is most happy to obliged as he know how to fight in such conditions.
"We would set our trap there. He would die and we would get our gold."
The trader traveled with a dozen personal guards with a number of armed servants in his convoy of wagons. They came in along the road with the dozen guards riding six a group by the forest side parallel to the convoy on the road. Cedi counted about twenty servants on the convoy. They are not the ones he feared, but the two who rides next to the trader.
Cedi picked the ones on the right side of the road facing him. He nocked two arrows into the bow and aimed at the guards riding in front of him in a long column. He released the arrows and ran from there to the next cover spot. He did not pause to see the flight of the arrows as they killed the two rear riders.
The two in the middle on seeing their friends getting shot raised the alarm. The second set of double arrows went out and took down the two forward guards. The two guards who raised the alarm turned to run him down but he had nocked in the third set of arrows. He see them coming at him and he raised the bow. They were no more than ten feet away when he released the arrows.
The horses rode past him without their riders.
He looked across the road to the other side when he heard the scream of a person in pain. He can see Medi holding her spear upright as she has also taken care of the six guards on her side. She signaled back to him on her completion and ran to cross the road to joined him.
Cedi looked down at the servants who have their long spear ready but none dare to approach them. Then there was a whistle and they all ran to crowd around the trader.
The two personal guards of the trader came riding to him.
"The master let go of his dogs. I welcome any kind of dogs. Including those from the House of Judas." Cedi shouted out to them.
They came riding without stopping and they have drawn their swords. Both Medi and him jumped aside to avoid the riders. Cedi rolled over and then stood up to see the two riders turning back. This time they dismounted from their mounts.
"Dark Elf, The war is over and we lost. All of us lost and we are now only a handful Why do you fight us? You could be like us; be hired out as bodyguard." The one who spoke is the taller of the two and he holds a Elven sword.
"Enit from the House of Judas,and my companion is Dern." They introduced themselves to Cedi. Dern may be shorter but he is more build up in the body frame. He carries not any sword but a long one with a longer hilt. The sword is almost his height and he wields it well.
"I am Cedi of Canaan and she is Medi of Genoe. We seek not your master until he has employed dark magic on me. You know that for those of us who fight with dark magic is considered a traitor. More to it, he served as Man now and forgets he was once a Elf. Whom do you serve, Elf of Judas? A Traitor or the Nation of Elves."
The duo who faced us lowered their swords.
"We are previously the Elite Guards, but now we are paid mercenaries. We have a rule in our group that none may fight another elves. We shall not get involved in this battle. Good day, gentlemen." They turned their horses and galloped off.
Cedi then proceeded down to the wagons to confront the Trader.
"Show yourself, Daken. Your executioner calls for your head." Cedi shouted towards the wagons.
The servants on seeing the two personal guards leaving has also taken flight themselves. Then walked out a lone figure dressed in some garish looking colorful clothings. He was as told to Cedi what to out for; an elf with a hawkish facial look and a set of beard which twirls at the end like a pointy finger. He carries a long stick and was accompanied by two large manlike creatures at his side.
"I recently acquired some guards who would not desert their master in times of peril. Meet my latest acquisition, the Lion-man; a cross between Man and Lion. They are exceptional as they also fight and think like both." He tap the ground and the two creatures approached Cedi.
They stand taller than Cedi and each of them holds a broad sword that is twice as wide than mine.
"Medi, do you supposed they growl or speak like you?"
Cedi got his answer as both of them charged with a roar like their namesake. He thrust his sword at the one charging at me but it leap up and somersault over him while using the blunt edge to hit at Cedi' left shoulder.
Cedi reached for the left shoulder as he can feel the area around the left shoulder going numb and find difficulty holding up his shield. Medi was lucky to evade the attack as she jumped and rolled to the side.
"Their killing touch is to immobilized the victim before they kill." The Trader shouted out.
The left hand from the shoulder is now numb and Cedi can't move his left fingers. The shield dropped from his left hand without any strength to hold it in place. He staggered back while pulling the shield back. He also tried to move his left arm but its not responding.
Cedi then picked up the shield and strapped it tight to his left forearm. He took the waist belt to hold it against his chest and then he faced his adversary. The man-creature did not attacked him then but watched him as he re-armed himself.
The creatures sees him holding up the sword again, one on the right lunged at him with his sword. Cedi side stepped and used the shield to deflect his attack and the shield held up in magical strength to the force.
Cedi swing his sword at the lower left limb of the creature and cutting it at the calf. It hobbled back in pain as Cedi pushed forth his attack with the shield again and slashing away at the creature.
Cedi cut another two more wounds on the leg and left arm before the creature fell on its back. He jumped onto its body and thrust the sword into its chest. The sword hit not any creature but the ground below.
The creature has disappeared.
Cedi looked around and find it a feet away still hobbling on its good leg. Its able to teleport itself away before I can kill it.
"Medi, they can teleport at will." Cedi shouted to her and she replied that she know.
"I tried to killed it twice and it moved before I could do it. How do we fight such an enemy?"
"You killed its master!"
The voice sounded out and an arrow went past me to hit the Trader on his right arm. The shot caused the Trader to drop the stick he was carrying with him. "The magic is not in the creatures but in the stick he carries."
Cedi traced the voice to Enit the Elf who just stepped out onto the road. He is holding a Elven bow in his hand and is already nocking in another arrow. He smiled at Cedi and told him to go on with the battle while he battles the wounded Trader.
Enit released the second arrow but the Trader has jumped on a horse to ride off. Enit ran to his horse to mount it so he can chase the Trader.
Meanwhile Cedi ran towards the Lion Man creature and swing the sword from the top to slash at it. It blocked his attack but Cedi move his shield against its body. That attack again pushed the creature back but this time Cedi used his body weight to bring the shield down like a sword on the upper chest. The sharp edge of the shield cut into the broad chest and into its internal organs. The creature screamed up in pain like a Man and then roared even louder as a Lion.
He heard another roar as the other creature was impaled by Medi' spear from the side into its heart. It must had turned to see its fallen friend when Medi speared it there. She is so short that she stand just below his neck and that was the only vulnerable spot she can find on it. Medi jumped back on seeing the creature tried to swing the broad sword at her. She did not pulled her spear out when she jumped but now the creature is trying to pulled it out. It could not do so before its life slipped away.
"Enit is chasing the Trader. I would follow to check, but you find the golds here in the wagon." Cedi ran to a nearby horse and mount it. He gave chase on the same trail as Enit.
"Enit, what happened?" Cedi ran towards the wounded Judas warrior as he lie by the large boulder. He has an arrow nocked into his bow and he is looking at the cave in front of him.
"Daken shot me with his enchanted bow. He is also injured by my arrow in his leg. He can't escape unless the cave opens with a second entrance." Cedi looked at Enit' chest and see the same blemish dark mark as that on the Gryphon. "I may not live long but promise me, you would kill Daken. We are no traitors to the Nation."
"No, Enit. You are a true warrior of the Elves. I salute you as one. Do rest as I would hunt Daken now. His arrow cannot penetrate my shield. I would kill him for the Elves Nation." Now Cedi can feel his left shoulder is able to move like before as the numbness wears off.
Cedi stood up with the shield in front of me to walked towards the cave.
"Fight me, Daken. Fight me like a true Elf. Do not hide like Man does." Daken' answer was an arrow but not from his enchanted bow but a normal one. "Daken, the bow takes a part of your soul every time you uses it. Its the nature of the Dark Magic. Do you know its consequences? You would be without a soul soon."
Another arrow came flying out and Cedi deflect it with the shield. Then the trader steps out. He throw aside the normal bow and took up his enchanted bow again.
"Dark Elf, never would I surrender to you. I am an outcast of the Nation, so do allied me to yourself. My own kind thinks I am undeserving to my desire for gold and they removed me. With Man, I find no such disgust but we rejoice in it. My gold bought me freedom and above all power. I command even my previous nation people with the gold I have. They have to as the Nation is no more to pay them. But I did not seek war on the Nation. Why do you pursue me so earnestly?" Daken raised his enchanted bow while chanting the spell.
"Daken, you are Man now. I see all Man as enemies, more so if they tried to use our magic for themselves. Its forbidden by the Nation and I am obliged to remove that threat." Cedi charged at him and Daken sent off his dark arrow but the shield absorbed the magical threat. Soon Cedi was at his throat with the sword.
Cedi was to remove his head when Daken shouted out.
"Kill me and you would never know who betrayed the Nation."
Cedi held back his swing at the nape of the neck.
"Tell me now." Daken may not speak anymore as an arrow pierce his chest from the front left into his heart. Cedi turned to see who was the archer was but he could not see anyone. Then he saw the fleeting figure which ran in the forest. A hand reached out to grabbed my left leg. Cedi looked down to see Daken looking up at him.
"Beware who you call as a friend." Daken then drew his last breath.
What does he mean? Cedi asked himself as he have not many friends left as they are either dead or missing. His mind reeled back to Medi but she has shown to be a trusted one. Daken may be trying to create a rift between them.
"Cedi, are you alright?" Medi stepped forth from the trees and walked towards him. " I was looking for you. I found the gold but it needs two person to carry it. Is that Daken? Is he dead?"
I nodded.
"Where is Enit?" She asked of the warrior.
Cedi point to the tree and she went over there while he searched the trader's body.
Cedi broke off the arrow shaft and looked at it closely. Its a Elven design but not of his House. He wanted to search more on the arrow when Medi shouted out.
"Enit is dead."
It can't be as the poison takes days to spread unless he is hit more than once. I rushed over and crouched down next to the Judas Warrior. He is dead not by poison but by an arrow in his chest. I reached for the arrow but she has pulled it out.
"Man's!" She threw it to the side and stepped back as I looked at my the warrior. "He would be revenged."
She stomped off while Cedi stood there.
Cedi went over to the bushes and retrieved the arrow. It has the same arrow feathers. He broke off the shaft and kept the feathers end.
Soon when they are back at our hideout, Cedi unloaded the crates of gold and made an excuse of leaving something at the horses. When he was there, he looked into her horse and saw the quiver of arrows. I checked the feathers and noticed they are different.
He was to leave when he saw the side pouch. I opened it and saw the four arrows there. Its the same one as the one he took from the dead man's body. He closed the pouch cover and walked back to the hideout.
This matter would be discussed another day.
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