Xenarra: The Dragon Throne - Chapter 25 Ranger

Assessing the situation with my sword is hard, it doesn’t take me that long at all to realise that it is all going wrong and quickly. The greater demons are way stronger than I thought, we were being overwhelmed and quickly. `We need to get out of here before we are all killed. The others must have got far enough by now. If I use some mana, go on a full attack, I could hold them for a few seconds to allow the others to get away.’

“When I say, all of you get back!”…”feabhas a chur ar an gcorp,” This was the most demanding spell I had ever tried to use, I felt the mana which I was channeling, go all around my body and enhance everything. The feeling was amazing, I felt so strong but it seemed like I would only be able to hold it for a few minutes at most.

“Get back, now!” At my words the others got back and ran off into the woods. ‘I hope this works,’ I felt like I was flying as I moved to the demons much quicker compared to before. With a couple of flurries of my sword and attacked in rapid succession, hoping that if I could keep them on the defensive they can’t attack me.

Feeling I had only around a minute, before I ran out of control of the mana. I turned and well ran. As I did I slowly began to stop enhancing my body, stopping enhancing my agility and dexterity last. I didn’t bother to look back, I just ran and ran. All I could think now was if I stopped I could be caught by the demons, now that I am tired from the last fight and slightly injured from stopping the initial blow I blocked, I would be probably killed.

‘I wonder what happened to the knights and the general, they must still be in the fort. I just hope none of the others were killed..’

A hand came over my mouth and my legs were taking out almost simultaneously. I reached for the dagger that I had but my hands were suddenly held as well. “Stop moving too much, we are not your enemy.” The voice was soft but raspy as well. Whoever it was, let go of me, getting to my feet quickly, I looked around but couldn’t see anyone.

“We are behind you.” I turned around and stepped back, tripping up as I did. From the floor, I was able to see who had basically floored me. It was a group of people, ten of them. In what looked like black clothing. They reminded me a bit of the person I saw in the infirmary before, the man in full black, I couldn’t see his face if I remember rightly.

“Who are you?” As I say this, I get to my feet again. I also draw the dagger and get in a combat position if they change their mind and attack me.

“We are rangers sergeant. Now relax and tell us what the hell is going on in these woods!”After hearing that they are rangers I relaxed but didn’t put my dagger away.

‘So these are rangers, huh. The soldiers who go beyond the black border and keep watch for demons and kill them. The group nicknamed the blood ravens. The hunters or assassins as some call them, but how can they not know what is going on.’

“You don’t know what happened?” I gave them a face filled with confusion.

“You think we would ask if we knew. What do you take us for, those dumb skull knights?”

“If you really don’t know…the black fort was under siege by a horde of demons, a lot of the people here broke out and are running from the fort, but it seems the demons followed us into the woods and now well, you can guess what’s happening.” As if to prove my point a scream rang out at that moment.

The rangers then ignored me, forming a slight circle, they began to discuss what to do. After a while, it seemed like they had come to a discussion on what to do. “Ummm, can I go now then or do you want me to go with you?”

They all looked at me again, as if to say, you are still here. After coming out of their stupor, one glanced at another before speaking. “You look like you can use a sword or at least a dagger as you seem to know the basic teaching of not dropping it. I have known enough tier one troops been killed for thinking themselves safe. Come with us for now. Just be quiet and get rid of most of that heavy armour. It is useless for you now.”

I did as the ranger who was speaking to me said. I removed all of the metal armour I had on, just leaving me in the leather that was underneath it. Then I grabbed my sword and put the dagger in its sheath. Making sure I was done, the rangers walked off. Without a word, I followed them.

Crack!

“Damm, watch where you are walking! You want to bring the demons to us!” I was yelled at by a few of them, only for stepping on a stick causing it to break.

‘Why don’t you shut up, your voice probably brings them closer to us than me stepping on a stick.’ I didn’t say it out loud though. If I did, it would end in me being yelled at more, or more likely being abandoned here. Wherever here is.

We were walking in silence after that. I got used to avoiding the sticks on the floor after a while as well. The one thing that confused me though, is the fact that we were going away from the fort but not to the city, in fact it was just to the mountains.

‘They may not be rangers, they could be mountain bandits or something. Look at what they are wearing! How could that even be called a uniform?’

By the time we had gotten near to the mountains, the sun had risen. They led me into a small cave which very quickly ended and opened up into a mountain path. Following it up, all I could see was the grey, jagged mountains in front, to my sides. The path itself seemed like a track used by goats as they climbed on the mountains.

It then opened up onto a small plateau with a cave entrance on it. “May the dragons rain.” The one who seemed to be the leader of the supposed rangers spoke to the cave.

Out of it came a voice, “And may they rain down fire. There should only be ten of you, who is the other person?”

The ranger seemed to think for a bit as I guess he had realized that he didn’t know my name. Looking at me, “Go on then, tell him who you are.”

Looking at the cave which I felt was odd, so I tried to find the person speaking in it. “I am sergeant Adoh, a tier one soldier. No unit as of yet.”

“Ah, you are one of the nine. I have heard of you. Welcome to ranger outpost nine.”