increased in volume. Curiosity took hold. Keeping close to the ground, she crept forward in hopes of gaining a better view of the entrance. She’d covered about half the distance of the cavern when she noticed three Drulaack standing just outside the mouth of the cave.
Their eyes locked on her and wicked smiles spread across their lips. Evil seeped from their bodies like the venom of a snake, slowly poisoning everything in its wake. One of the men unsheathed his sword with deliberate slowness, and the unmistakable ringing of metal resounded through the air.
She was alone, weak, and defenseless. They knew it.
One Drulaack took a step forward. A scream caught in Irewen’s throat. She shrank back into the shadows, praying that Dremond’s shade would hold true to his word. The enemy’s next step brought him just inside the mouth of the cave. Irewen’s heart jumped when a violent stream of water fell from the ceiling. The man struggled to break free, but the extreme force of the waterfall kept him pinned beneath its merciless onslaught.
Irewen desperately wanted to turn away, but she couldn’t. Her eyes remained glued to the horrendous sight. The Drulaack finally fell still, and the waterfall disappeared as quickly as it had come.
The dead man’s two companions stared at his body, their expressions a mass of confusion and disbelief. For a moment, Irewen thought they might retreat, but her feeble hopes were dashed. The Drulaack returned their attention to her, looks of unmitigated hatred plastered on their faces.
Apparently deciding that caution hadn’t served their partner, they ran inside the cave. Roaring furiously, they drew their swords. They only made it a few steps inside the entrance. Water instantly shot up from the floor like a geyser and burst forth from the walls and ceiling. Both Drulaack stopped dead in their tracks, watching Irewen incredulously as the water passed harmlessly through her body. Admittedly, until the water reached the men and their eyes widened in fear, she herself had believed, for one terrifying moment, that Dremond had failed.
The men turned to run, but it was too late. The cave quickly filled with water, trapping them inside. They struggled helplessly against the strong current. Thrashing desperately to keep their heads above the surface, they tried to swim towards the entrance. The waters swirled violently, snaring the Drulaack in the whirlpool.
The water churned harmlessly around Irewen where she huddled against a wall. She watched the enemy’s hopeless battle against death as they were thrown about the cave like rag dolls. Without warning, the water vanished. The lifeless bodies crashed to the floor with a revolting thud.
The ensuing silence was more deafening than the rushing of the whirlpool. Sitting motionlessly, Irewen waited for the sound of Laegon’s footsteps.
Laegon’s aim was just as true on his second shot as it was on the first. He watched with both satisfaction and relief when the force of the blow careened his victim backwards, sending him plunging heavily into the snow.
«And another.»
«Well done, Protector.»
Screaming with rage, the remaining two men ran towards Laegon in a fury. Casting his bow aside, he expertly drew the two short swords strapped to his back.
«This is where I will need your help, Brégen. My accuracy with the bow has left them in a frenzy. These two are the weakest of the four but will still easily overpower me. They expect me to fall quickly and will not hold back. Their armour is heavy, and their weapons are larger and more cumbersome than mine. I need lightness and agility.»
The lion’s reply was swift. «Of course, my friend. What is your strategy?»
«Whatever possesses these men,» Laegon noted, «they are still at least partly human. Though their armour and weapons would serve them well in a quick fight, the same will not hold true for a battle that lingers. Laden down by the weight of their gear, they will tire more
Their eyes locked on her and wicked smiles spread across their lips. Evil seeped from their bodies like the venom of a snake, slowly poisoning everything in its wake. One of the men unsheathed his sword with deliberate slowness, and the unmistakable ringing of metal resounded through the air.
She was alone, weak, and defenseless. They knew it.
One Drulaack took a step forward. A scream caught in Irewen’s throat. She shrank back into the shadows, praying that Dremond’s shade would hold true to his word. The enemy’s next step brought him just inside the mouth of the cave. Irewen’s heart jumped when a violent stream of water fell from the ceiling. The man struggled to break free, but the extreme force of the waterfall kept him pinned beneath its merciless onslaught.
Irewen desperately wanted to turn away, but she couldn’t. Her eyes remained glued to the horrendous sight. The Drulaack finally fell still, and the waterfall disappeared as quickly as it had come.
The dead man’s two companions stared at his body, their expressions a mass of confusion and disbelief. For a moment, Irewen thought they might retreat, but her feeble hopes were dashed. The Drulaack returned their attention to her, looks of unmitigated hatred plastered on their faces.
Apparently deciding that caution hadn’t served their partner, they ran inside the cave. Roaring furiously, they drew their swords. They only made it a few steps inside the entrance. Water instantly shot up from the floor like a geyser and burst forth from the walls and ceiling. Both Drulaack stopped dead in their tracks, watching Irewen incredulously as the water passed harmlessly through her body. Admittedly, until the water reached the men and their eyes widened in fear, she herself had believed, for one terrifying moment, that Dremond had failed.
The men turned to run, but it was too late. The cave quickly filled with water, trapping them inside. They struggled helplessly against the strong current. Thrashing desperately to keep their heads above the surface, they tried to swim towards the entrance. The waters swirled violently, snaring the Drulaack in the whirlpool.
The water churned harmlessly around Irewen where she huddled against a wall. She watched the enemy’s hopeless battle against death as they were thrown about the cave like rag dolls. Without warning, the water vanished. The lifeless bodies crashed to the floor with a revolting thud.
The ensuing silence was more deafening than the rushing of the whirlpool. Sitting motionlessly, Irewen waited for the sound of Laegon’s footsteps.
Laegon’s aim was just as true on his second shot as it was on the first. He watched with both satisfaction and relief when the force of the blow careened his victim backwards, sending him plunging heavily into the snow.
«And another.»
«Well done, Protector.»
Screaming with rage, the remaining two men ran towards Laegon in a fury. Casting his bow aside, he expertly drew the two short swords strapped to his back.
«This is where I will need your help, Brégen. My accuracy with the bow has left them in a frenzy. These two are the weakest of the four but will still easily overpower me. They expect me to fall quickly and will not hold back. Their armour is heavy, and their weapons are larger and more cumbersome than mine. I need lightness and agility.»
The lion’s reply was swift. «Of course, my friend. What is your strategy?»
«Whatever possesses these men,» Laegon noted, «they are still at least partly human. Though their armour and weapons would serve them well in a quick fight, the same will not hold true for a battle that lingers. Laden down by the weight of their gear, they will tire more
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