Guardian of the Night

20

The tunnel had led to a natural cave, a large one from what Bilain could see, though the little light afforded by the fires the mercenaries sat around did little to show how big the cave was. She had lived in Adrasusk, in The Sprawl, her entire life and had never known there were caves like this below the city. It led her to wonder if a cave much like this had collapsed beneath The Fell, all those years ago.

This one, however, sat a lot further away from the city. They had travelled some distance along the tunnel to this point. Without references, she could only estimate that they now sat beneath the expansive open landscape of Ganshorn's Field. That, at least, gave her a little comfort. Unless another, similar cave sat beneath The Sprawl, she couldn't see the same fate befalling her Ward as had happened to The Fell but, as these mercenaries showed, The Sprawl had other dangers facing it.

"I could do it." Hidden far outside the firelight, Kaluun crouched, observing those mercenaries that gathered below. "Though I couldn't guarantee I'd be able to keep my word."

"What do you mean?" Crouched beside Kaluun, Bilain watched the mercenaries movements herself, trying to see anything that could aid them, while blowing out the lantern, unwilling to give away their position. "We can't fight these people."

"All I need is fear. Extinguish the fires, remove one or two, leave the others to fall into panic, become disorganised." From behind her back, Kaluun unhooked her crossbow, checking the weapon. "But some would die. Would have to. This stupid idea that I shouldn't kill anyone could get us killed. I know which I prefer."

"And I'd prefer bypassing them entirely." There were other ways to deal with these mercenaries, should it come down to it. Before long, Trenna and Ilivno would be able to see to that. "If we can reach the end of all this, get to the Ganshorn estate, I'm certain I can end it all, everything, without bloodshed. If the Ganshorn's know they have failed to destroy The Sprawl, they'll back down."

"You're too naive and optimistic." Kaluun unrolled the vine attached to the crossbow bolt and it appeared to grow and lengthen in her hand. "But if you won't let me go through them, we can go over them, and maybe strike a little fear in their minds, too."

Uncertain what Kaluun intended, Bilain watched as the woman stood, aiming the crossbow toward the roof of the cave. A roof that Bilain could not see at all. As the unmistakeable twang of the crossbow firing reverberated around the cave, Kaluun held out her hand to Bilain. Somehow, the bolt had struck the rocky roof and stayed there and now Bilain understood how Kaluun expected to bypass the mercenaries.

Taking Kaluun's hand, the Lady En Lutar pulled Bilain in close, gripping her waist and lifting her. Bilain still couldn't believe the strength of the woman. Down near the fires, the mercenaries had heard the noise of the crossbow, holding torches above their heads and searching for what had made the sound, but they couldn't see Bilain and Kaluun.

The woman's shadows had spread out, covering them both in a thin layer of darkness that hid them from the eyes of the mercenaries. Then, with a jump, Kaluun lifted them both into the air and began to swing upon the vine attached to the crossbow bolt in the roof of the cave. Strengthened, somehow, by Kaluun's Forest Mage sensitivity, the vine held the weight of them both as they soared over the heads of the mercenaries.

They heard something. A rippling of cloth, or the sound of an unnatural breeze passing above their heads. Yet they looked about themselves in wide-eyed terror, unable to see what could have made the sounds. Torches flashed one way and then the other, swords became drawn and hushed whispers cautioned each other. Bilain and Kaluun arced above them and the mercenaries had no idea what, or who, had passed them by.

As though she knew exactly what to look for, Kaluun's legs stretched out before her a moment before they came crashing into a wall. Her feet connected, her knees bent, cushioning them to a halt and Kaluun released Bilain from her arm. With a glance backward, Kaluun raised her crossbow and the vine retracted like a whip, back toward the woman. As she coiled the vine, checking the bolt that had returned with it, Bilain looked back to the mercenaries.