COTN House of Judas Part 8

8. Raid

For the last two days, Jedi kept to the forest edge looking for signs of the column. He also had to avoid the Judas guards but that was not easy as they are good. This could mean that this are real Elite Guards or trained well by one. He knows he was seen by one of them but they are not hunting him yet. He found out why soon as the column of mercenaries emerged from the forest. They are on the march and without their siege machines although they have now some Orcs in chains in tow. The Orcs numbered five but they are still a formidable foe. They have approached the clearing and they are massing their numbers.

Jedi counted two hundred and fifty of them, meaning the previous incident eroded the number or the trip across the reptile infested forest stretched. Jedi saw something unique in the column; they are splitting into three columns; archers, pikemen and the calvary. The last is about thirty of them on their mounts; and they surprised Jedi as they were not dressed in such manner before in the march, probably kept them in the wagons then. Now they are with heavy armors cladded on their body and horse. They are also armed with long spears and broadswords with their head covered in a metal cover and half visor on their eyes. It crossed Jedi mind that these are the Black Calvary; an elite group like the Red Guards but these soldiers are selected for their large frame and deadly attitude. They are the army's bad boys and used in such campaign that needed cleansing of a race.

If the victim is not prepared for them, they would be taken in by the fierce looks of these warriors but the Calvary is known for brash attack without strategy. Jedi was about to see another example of the quality of the Black Calvary; the rider reached into the saddle bag and extracted a long slithering that decided to settle in there. The rider pulled out the reptile out by its head just below its jaw with the right hand. It placed the reptile neck to the his own jaw and bite down hard. The gross act drew applause from the others as the Man hold the reptile tail high up as the blood dripped down into his mouth.

The rider raised both his arms up in response when the arrow pierced his open jaw. The war cry of the Judas warriors were heard from the forest trees as they released more arrows at the Calvary. Most of the arrows are deflected by the thick armor on the Calvary but a few did get into the flesh at the gaps in between the armor. There was a few casualties but those which are not fatal just ignored their wounds and fought on.

"Calvary, charged in!" Its typical of the Calvary to react in this manner as they charged the forest where the Judas archers shot those arrows.

Jedi heard the second cry and its not a war cry. Its a cry for retreat for the Judas warriors. Jedi rushed to where the archers were, and he saw the traps set for the Calvary. Its a standard traps used by many of the Houses, and right now the Calvary are riding to it. The elves have the vines strung across the tree trunks were coated with a deadly potion; it burns into metal and flesh like rice paper.

The Calvary which came charging in drove themselves to the traps causing them to fall over as the vines cut into the horse's armor and into the flesh. The horses on being stung by the potion either fall down or became uncontrollable to the riders.

"Its a trap! Retreat!" One of the Calvary units shouted out, but more of their numbers are already in to have a taste of the fight. As the alert went out, clay containers was thrown onto the riders from the tree tops. The container broke on contact and its contents spilled out onto the riders. The arrows that came was with flaming arrowheads and it lit up the spilled contents.

"My armor on fire!" Shouts reverts out among the riders as the fire starts to spread. More of the riders tried to discard their heavy armor but the volleys of arrows came in waves. Some tried to turn their mounts to escape but they clashed into the other riders of the Calvary also trying to escape. More of them are shouting out the warning to the others but their numbers have dwindled to half.

The rest turned their mounts around to escape the traps set. The elves were ready for that as they released their arrows attached to a thin vine coated with the same potion. The arrows aimed at the mounts legs ensnared them and caused them to throw their riders.

The riders got off their mounts and attempt to put up a stand as more arrows came at them.

"Fight us like Man!" One rider shouted out as he threw off his head gear. The arrow did not missed the mark as it hit through his left eye into his brain. On seeing that rider down, the rest forgot their enemies here and tried to escape. They ran for the clearing but more of them succumb to the next volley of arrows. The survivors eventually limped out to warn the rest. It was all over and the elves won.

Jedi decided to move from his hiding place when he felt the arrowhead at the back of his neck.

"Don't move, Guard. I am not part of your Elite Guards. I may not need a reason to release the arrow." Jedi reached his sickle but he then heard the call to release him by the archer. The arrow head was moved away and Jedi could look up. Its no Judas Warrior, but a Canaan Archer, with their emblem on the sleeve of the tunic. They are as good as the Guardians. The two groups are the best among the Canaan Warriors.

"Tell me, Zeca why can't I just end his life? Our sanctuary is protected and the Councilor said so that he cannot come in." The archer stepped back but the arrow is nocked in the bow. Jedi turned to looked closer to the archer. He is about Jedi's height but slimmer in looks and sports longer limbs. The only two difference is his hair is long to his waist and its not braided. More to it he is missing his left eye; a scar lined there now. He is also carrying a Karen double blade sword instead of the long Elven sword.

"The Councilor just told me to bring him back to the settlement. Our enemies are still out there. Look to them. I would take him to the Councilor."

"Jedi of the Guards. I warned you to stay away but you still want to come in. Do you seek death from us or you are here for another purpose?" The Councilor looked to the warrior standing before her in the makeshift hall in the cavern.

"I am here to find my House. The House of Judas." Jedi looked at the person sitting in the seat there like any Councilor, but this is no grand hall of a Council, but a lighted cavern in the caves. Its a rather small cavern that can probably housed a few families with comfort, but its now filled with an array of seatings and small tables. An ironic piece of the Judas House hang before the Councilor; the once proud pennant of colors of the House, now in tatters but still hung like a garland above the Councilor.

Councilor Belli; he met her briefly at the clearing and before that years ago when he was assigned to her for a short guarding task. He remembers her well as she slapped him when he let an assassin escaped from her chambers after an unsuccessful attempt.Her words still sound in his ears; "You are a fool to worry about me, when you should be pursuing the assassin. I am equally capable to taking care of myself without you. Now we would never know who sent that killer." The councilor did fight off the assassin before she raised the alert.

Now she looked so old and frail looking compared to the gutsy lady he met that night. She is dressed in her regalia as Councilor, with long draping cloak and a fine silk dress with accessories that would put a lot of ladies to envy. The only difference is that she wears a short dagger at her waist belt.

"Jedi of the Guards. There is no more House of Judas, but the New House of Elves." The Councilor points to the pennant flowing above her. " A symbol of our House but now a symbol of our revival. We welcome all the elves, dark , white or otherwise to join us. There are no more Karens, Canaan, Genoe or Micha; only one House. They come and we offered them sanctuary but only those whom we can trust to live peacefully within these caverns. In this far deep forest, we have build our sanctuary where the dwarfs used to mine. Now these caverns are our shelter and the forest our perimeter and fencing from Man. The new House would grow and be mighty again under one House. If you had to come to tell me of the New Nation, I am not keen to hear. Cedi of Canaan; the so called leader evicted them from his sanctuary. They wandered and I took them here to my place; Micha, Karen, Genoe and even Canaan."

The Councilor looked at Jedi.

"You are not accepted as you work for Man. You took gold from them. You are no more an Elf, but a traitor to us. That is our law now. You may go now." She raised her hand to dismissed him.

"Hear me out, Councilor. I admit I worked for Man, but it was to learn on how they fight and also to get gold to raise a new army. As I speak now, I am rebuilding back the Elite Guards to regain our honor. But who would fight without the means to feed their own. I have to give them the assurance, for they put their life for it. An assurance that their life effort is not without any rewards..." Jedi mumbled his last words as he finds justification to the sacrifice may not be acceptable to the Councilor.

"Begone, Jedi of the Guards. You and your people have shown your true self. You deserved no more from us. Zeca, send him to the exit." She looked back at Jedi. "Beware, Jedi. Return at your own risk."

"Jedi, your route from here is cleared of the reptiles. You would know the trail as any trained Guard would. Be gone..... my friend." Zeca motioned to Jedi to leave the forest surrounding Tiruk. Jedi looked at the other warrior, and he smiled.

"It nice to know that I am still remembered by fellow guards. I pledged my men to your cause and also the people here. Call on us and we would come."

That call was much too soon. An alert came in the form of a wailing arrow that reached to the sky.

"The Sanctuary is under attack. I must go back." Zeca turned his mount as Jedi stopped him.

"Let me come. One more warrior is better than none."

Zeca looked at him and nodded. They rode back to the caves with speed. The reached the first defence line to see the warriors retreating with the wounded. Zeca dismounted and check with one of them.

"It is Man but not the same column. Its another column and they sneak in when we were fighting the earlier column. Its led by the Man who came earlier......." The wounded elf saw Jedi. "His companion leads them. He is also a traitor."

Jedi finds weapons surround him as the words got out.

It was General Noah that leads them to here.

The Man betrayed his companion.

"Man cannot be trusted..." Jedi muttered to himself. He kicked out at the nearest elf and galloped with the horse in a different direction. He can hear the shouts of warning and then the arrow that graze his left shoulder near the forearm. He crouched down on his mount and they disappeared into the forest.