The air was much warmer and humid, compared to what Holden was accustomed to back home. Though the land of Rnyrt was still a good distance away, he could tell that it was different from On’hino. It was undeveloped, at least at first glance; not a settlement in sight. “Are you sure this is Rnyrt?” Holden asked Thusk, as they stood by the rails of the Goliath.
“I’ve sailed over these waters since before you were born,” Thusk said as he leaned against the railing. “Unless the gods have reformed the realm in the brief time we were docked in Perona, that is indeed Rnyrt. What were you expecting from a land of savages?”
“It just seems as if nobody would live out here,” said Holden, nodding towards the untouched jungle. “No ports, beacon towers, or anything.”
“And you won’t find any.” Thusk glanced at Holden. “They’re smart enough to burrow into the heart of their own lands, where our navy could not easily carve into their populace. But, it’s past time to put an end to their sense of invulnerability.”
Holden observed the coast further. He would have to approach from the open ocean, and in broad daylight. All it would take was one patrol spotting him along the way to botch his mission -- and his chances of survival -- altogether. “Do we approach now?”
“Fortunately not. You’ll go under the veil of darkness.” Thusk stepped away from the rails, with Holden following him. “You ought to make sure that you’re well prepared. Regardless of your success, the expeditionary force will land at dawn. Whether they are welcomed by you or a host of Rnytian warriors is contingent on your success.” He walked towards his captain’s quarters, before letting out a sharp whistle. Within a moment, Hrodgaier approached Holden and Thusk. “Hrodgaier, get Honler’s arse out of his quarters, and send him here.”
“Right away, captain.” Hrodgaier turned and went for the lower decks, as Holden and Thusk entered the captain’s quarters.
“We must speak further of your objectives in private,” Thusk said, before taking a seat at his desk. “Once the expeditionary forces reach the staging area, you will be moving further into Rnyrt, bearing west of where the forces will land.” He tapped his finger on the map of Rnyrt, which was already rolled out. “While it is known that the capital lies within Rnyrt, there is no certainty as to its location.”
“So, you want me to find the capital?”
“Aye. Then return to camp, and point the forces in the right direction.” Thusk turned his attention to the door as it opened, and Honler stepped in. “We’ve only been on the waters for several days, yet you look like the dead awoken.”
“I’ll be fine,” Honler said, clearing his throat. “I don’t think I have left in me to wretch.”
“You’d do well to try and not prove yourself wrong,” Thusk muttered. “After the expeditionary force reaches the staging area, you will be assigned to lead the forces into battle, once Holden finds the capital.”
“As in, Holden alone?” Honler folded his arms across his chest, as Thusk raised an eyebrow. “He has barely any field experience.”
“And he will find none as a scout if you’re nursing him the entire time.” Leaning back in his chair, Thusk glared at Honler. “Rnyrtians are the weakest of warriors, in terms of discipline and combat capability. If he cannot handle them alone, then his career as a scout will be short lived.”
While the scowl on his face remained, Honler said nothing.
“Honler,” said Holden, “I’ll be fine. And you can tell Yerryn that it was my decision to go off alone, against your judgement.” At least then, Yerryn would not blame Honler should anything happen.
“Well, go and ready yourselves for nightfall.” Thusk nodded towardes the door. “May Hino watch over you, and sharpen your blades.”
***
The waters in the dead of night were calm, as if the ocean itself was asleep. Aboard a rowboat, Holden looked through the black of night at the shore, which was nearby. Lifting the hood of his cloak off of his head, he took a moment to adjust the straps of his hide tunic. Though it would do him little good as far as preventing mortal wounds, it restricted his movement less than the other armor Thusk had offered him along with the apparel he was given. It was even stained to blend in better with the wilderness.
A tapping on his shoulder turned Holden’s attention to Honler, who pionted towards a few specks of light a ways off, along the shore; torches. Though Honler forbid that they spoke until they reached the shore, Holden did not need to be told that it was a patrol. The crewman rowing the boat stopped it short of the land, as to keep it from getting beached. Honler got out of the boat, and exhaled sharply through his nose as he was waist-deep in the fridgid waters.
Following his example, Holden got off the boat. He was welcomed by the unpleasant sensation of the chilling sea caressing his lower body, unimpeded by his clothing. It filled into his boots, and soaked him to the bone. Were it not for the dire circumstances at hand, there were a few oaths that would have left his mouth. As Honler moved towards the shore with a sense of urgency, Holden too one more glance at the torchlight in the distance. The patrol was coming in their direction.
Grabbing his bow from the boat, he motioned for the crewman to shove off. It would do his mission little good if the patrol found any reason to be alarmed. Holden qcuikly waded through the water and hurried onto the shore. In the darkness of night, he barely made out Honler’s shadow lying in wait.
“We’ll wait for that patrol to come closer,” Honler whispered, “then we’ll take care of them quickly.” He kept his eyes on the flickering torches, as they grew ever closer. Notching an arrow, Holden drew his bowstring back. As the patrol came into range, he came to know why the Rnyrtians were seen as savages.
The patrol was barely clothed, lacked any real equipment -- spare their clubs and daggers -- and spoke in some gutteral language. Their tones at least suggested that they were at ease, and likely did not see Holden and Honler. There were only three of them, which meant that there would be not much of a fight if the patrol was ambushed. However, the risk of one fleeing to raise the alarms was ever present; certain death for Holden.
He observed each of the Rnyrtians, discerning the one that was the least exhausted. That would be his target. he waited until the patrol was only a dozen paces away before firing an arrow. It flew out of the darkness beneath the jungle canopy, and only made its presence known by landing in the neck of Holden’s target. Wasting no time, he readies and fires another arrow. This one narrowly misses another of the patrol, but it mattered little.
Honler’s charge onto the remaining patrol members during their confusion left them at his mercy. With a downward strike, he caught one Rnyrtian by the shoulder blade, and carved right through it. Holden’s next arrow catches the last Rnyrtian’s shoulder.
Honler ripped his blade free as Holden readied another arrow, and moved in to finish the last patrol member. With the Rnyritan still trying to recover from the impact of Holden’s arrow, Honler made short, brutal work of him. Aside from the constant, monstrous rumble of the ocean against the coastline, there was a thick silence that permeated the air. Dismissing the trio of the dead from his own attention, Holden kept watch over the coast for Honler. Once the patrol’s torches were doused, Honler returned to Holden.
“Are you alright?” he asked, using the leaves of the nearby brush to clean his blade. “I’ve seen my share of bloodshed, I know how it can be.”
“I’ll be fine,” said Holden, “it’s not the first time I have had to. besides, they would have killed us, if they had the opportunity.”
“Right.” Honler rubbed his chin for a moment, before he looked to where the patrol had approached from. We’ll follow their tracks, and perhaps it will lead us to a campsite. Unless you’d rather wait in hopes of another patrol.”
“That would do us little good.” Slinging his bow around his torso, Holden approached the patrol’s remains. They were dealt death by swift arrows and adept strikes. Looking up the coast from where the patrol came, Holden began to follow their tracks, as faint as they were in the sands. With Honler following not far behind, Holden kept vigilant of their surroundings. It was all too easy to imaging a band of warriors waiting in the forest, watching them closely for an opening.
The paranoia ate at Holden as the two walked along the shore, until he discerned something darker than the deep blue night skies; smoke. Without a warning, he dashed into the cover of the treeline. Honler barely hesitated before doing the same. Under the shroud of night and cover of the jungle, Holden moved in the direction of the smoke, with Honler close behind.
It was not long until the crackling of a campfire, along with a few voices were heard. Drawing his bow, Holden slowed his pace to a crawl. The warm glow of the flames shed itself on the surrounding trees, spare where the shadows of men had fallen. What Holden sawa group of several Rnyrtians sitting by a campfire, with their weapons set aside. They were too enveloped in their own happenings to spot Holden.
“Holden,” Honler whispered, “there are too many to take on. You could do in one or two of them before they would be upon us.”
“We can’t leave them be; we’re to eradicate any Rnyrtians within the landing area.”
“Then tell me how you intend for us to take on so many at once?”
Holden looked over the campsite again. He could not argue with Honler’s years of experience. But, ignoring this camp would jeopardize the entire mission. He frowned, trying to come up with a solution. Then, it struck him. Readying an arrow, he fired before Honler could stop him. The arrow struck the fire, breaking the structure and scattering embers in all directions. The Rnyrtian men jumped in panic at the sight, spare one; he took a second arrow in the chest, and fell to the ground.
Honler took advantage of the confusion, charging in and catching one of the men in the neck with his blade. Holden released another arrow with a profound alacrity, catching another of the Rnyrtians square between the eyes. Within a matter of seconds, the group of enemies had been whittled down to only a few, who had the time to grab their weapons.
When Holden reached for another arrow, his hand only grabbed at the air; he depleted his arrow count. Part of him panicked when he drew Yusil, his father’s sword. He had no training in swordsmanship, yet he would have to put his life -- and Honler’s -- on the hope that he could hold his own in close combat. He ran into the campsite, slashing at one of the Rnyrtians. He must have caught the man off-guard, as he landed Yusil’s edge into the man’s side, the bare flesh seeming to split with ease. Holden’s victory was short lived, however.
“Behind!” Honler called out, before he kicked Holden in the side, causing him to fall to the ground. A club whipped through were Holden’s head had been, only missing by a hair. Running the Rnyrtian through with his sword, Honler pushed him off quickly after, and looked around the site. Holden got up and felt his side, which already felt sore. He did not say anything, however, favoring a kick to the side over a shattered skull.
“Well, you proved me wrong,” said Honler as he sheathed his sword. “We killed them all. And you had the foolish courage to charge into the battle, with as little experience as you had.” He knelt next to one of the bodies, and ripped one of Holden’s arrows free. “Gather them all. It’s not like this lot will be using them.” Honler handed the bloodied arrow to Holden, before he approached the dying campfire. He scattered the remaining wood with a kick, leaving Holden and himself in the dark once more.
Holden knelt down next to one of the Rnyrtians, the one he struck between the eyes. He placed one hand on the head, the other gripping his arrow’s shaft. With a hard pull, managed the free the arrow, but with a distinct snapping sound. Looking at the arrow, Holden frowned and tossed it aside. Without the arrowhead, it was dead weight. He stood up and approached the campfire’s remains, retrieving the arrow he used to create the chaos needed to claim victory. Fortunately it was still intact, if a little blackened.
“Is that all you have left?” Honler asked. When Holden nodded, he gestured to Holden’s sword, Yusil, which was still on the ground. “Then you’d better learn to use that sword, and quickly.”
No comments:
Post a Comment