Demon(#Wattys2017 Entry)

Chapter 24:Stealth

Gem grabbed her blade, nodding and looking at the men she had gathered. There was Egral, one of the men in her squad. His size and strength made him a valuable friend, and he was useful as a training partner, as well as interpreting her hand signs for others. He would be invaluable if she needed to give orders from a distance, and he had a surprisingly good head for strategy.

Av'rasca, the one-legged Deena man, would help navigate through the town and translate where needed."Though-" He admitted,"-You might find me a bit lacking....just have a few old maps that my dad left me, and the only person I ever practiced the language with was him and...."

His face took on an odd expression, and he said no more. Gem did not know the details, but knew he had had a strained relationship with his mother, and so did not press him. They were not important to the mission, in any case.

Another notable man was a Mage by the name of Jak, who had volunteered at the suggestion of Giles. He was arrogant, but not entirely without cause. To be a Mage in Black Griffin, much skill was needed, and Jak had it in droves. Granted, this did not lessen the occasional urge to punch him, but she would hold herself in check....for tonight, at least.

A few other soldiers from her group were there, people who could hold their own with a blade. She had trained with many of them, and felt confident in their ability to watch her back. A few of them had even landed blows on her and given her a few of her scars, though she had been sure to give the same to them in return. It always puzzled her why they didn't seem more pleased afterwards.

She smiled and waved back at the hill, knowing that the rest of her squad and a few of the other commanders would be watching. She signaled to Egral, who spoke quietly, as few could see in the dim light."Move quick, move quietly. Watch your step. If you knock over a barrel, a pan, anything, it could all be over. If you see any guards, cut them down quick and keep moving. If they have a torch, all the better. Toss them and see if you can cause a distraction. If you get wounded, move to whatever's closer, either our camp or the walls."

Av'rasca nodded."Ah...seems easy enough." He said, chuckling nervously."But, uh...someone go ahead of me in case they've set traps. Once was enough for me, thank you very much."

That brought laughter from the rest, until Gem hissed for them to be quiet. Then, they began advancing on the camp, everyone gripping the hilts of their blades tightly, the full weight of their task finally setting in.

They first saw a small group, who seemed to be patrolling. She sent a clear signal to the rest, first holding up a finger, then slicing in the air with her hand. Everybody kill one. Fortunately, this group had the same number as hers, which made things simple. They quickly arrived behind the group and cut out as one.

Egral stabbed forward, piercing his foes spine and shoving him to the ground, barely a sound made. Av'rasca's cut was less precise, and the Deena he faced fell back, gurgling, with the vein in his neck hacked open. This alerted the rest, who turned angrily. The rest of them moved quickly to finish them before they could call for help, and soon, only one was left facing Gem.

Gem raised her blade, but just before she struck, the man turned, and she froze. She had expected another Deena, a native to this land, or perhaps even a human, some sort of hybrid. But, the face that she saw was familiar. The eyes were red as a ruby. The skin was an unearthly pale color, almost a light grey. The hair almost invisible as it blended into the night, a black as pure as crows feathers. She was facing another Nrevacian, one of her own kind.

She racked her brains, trying to think of the last time she had seen one of her own race. Not a single occurrence came to mind. The other one seemed just as surprised, mouth agape."Sih....Sih insknamwa!" He exclaimed.