Richard Tuttle - Elvangar

HawkShadow nodded as he and Mistake turned slightly to the left to find their path through the jungle. Shouts of alarm sounded from behind as the pursuing soldiers and mages slammed into the high hedge, which had been hidden in MistyTrail’s blanket of fog. Shouted curses and hollering reverberated through the forest, and MistyTrail smiled when she heard the growls of nearby kruls alerted by the noise. She envisioned the huge creatures tearing into the soldiers, mistaking them for the escapees.

HawkShadow almost missed the trees with the stars marked in the moss. They had approached at a slightly different angle and HawkShadow saw the marks as he was racing by. He turned abruptly and found the trail that led through the jungle to the beach. The group entered the trail in single file with Mistake going first. While the trail was wide enough for two people to stand abreast, it was not wide enough to travel side-by-side.

HawkShadow was the first to reach the spot where he had stashed his two bows. He stepped off the trail and slung his quiver over his head. He held out Avalar’s bow and quiver as the eleven king came running along the trail. The king stopped and put Rhoda down, put on his quiver and grabbed his bow. He also stepped off the trail and nocked an arrow as Rhoda ran after Mistake.

“You came prepared,” Avalar smiled at HawkShadow. “What other surprises are in store?”

“We have a ship on the coast,” HawkShadow answered as MistyTrail and Tamar raced by. “Let’s hope we get to it. It is quite a ways yet. You go on. I will be along shortly.”

Avalar nodded and stepped back on the trail. As soon as the king started running, HawkShadow saw the first of the soldiers appeared on the trail. HawkShadow sent an arrow into the man’s chest and then turned to race after Avalar. He ran past Mistake who standing off the trail with an arrow nocked. He grinned at her as he passed and heard her arrow fly seconds later. A distant scream testified to the accuracy of her shot.

Each member of the team with a bow took their turn at stepping off the trail and firing one arrow at the pursuers before joining the end of the column. The tactic worked well for a while as it slowed down the pursuers. Unfortunately, it ended up leaving Rhoda in the lead as she had no bow, and was not skilled with one in any event.

Rhoda rounded a bend in the trail and abruptly halted. Blocking the trial before her was a huge krul. It saw her and growled loudly in victory. The air mage defiantly cast a spell and sent a whirlwind of trail dirt flying into the creature’s face. Avalar was second in line, and when he rounded the bend he bumped into Rhoda. He quickly recovered and sent an arrow flying into the creature’s open mouth. The krul howled in pain, but it did not fall down. It ripped the arrow from its mouth and threw it at Rhoda, but it bounced harmlessly to the ground. Avalar sent another arrow into the creature’s face. It struck him between the eyes. The creature wobbled slightly and then fell to the ground.

“They are catching up,” shouted Tamar as he backed around the bend in the trail.

“And I hear more noises in the jungle alongside us,” Avalar said softly. “Take the lead HawkShadow. You may need your sword more than your bow.”

HawkShadow nodded and handed his bow to Rhoda. He pulled his sword and stepped past the Khadoran mage to take the lead. HawkShadow raced along the narrow trail, his eyes scanning the dense jungle on both sides of the trail. He frowned as he thought about the beach that waited ahead. They needed time to launch the elven scout ship, and the group behind them was too close to allow for that time. His mind raced as he tried to work out a plan to get off the island.

Suddenly, fireballs screamed through the air. None of them struck the escapees, but several of them were much too close for comfort as they slammed into the foliage on both sides of the trail.

“Forget the arrows and run,” shouted MistyTrail. “We need to put some distance between us and those mages.”

The group needed no further encouragement. They all raced for the beach. Mistake was last in the group and several dozen paces after she rounded a bend, she heard a snap behind her. She looked over he shoulder and saw a wire stretched across the trail. She shook her head in confusion, but she did not slow down as she ran along a straight section of trail that stretched for several hundred paces. She looked over her shoulder again as she heard the shouts behind her.

“Arrows now!” shouted Mistake as she watched the pursuers tripping over the wire and falling to the ground.

The group halted and immediately turned around and nocked arrows to their bows. They sent arrows flying into the mass of Motangans. Unexpectedly, from each side of the trail, arrows flew from the jungle foliage. The new arrows soared into the Motangan soldiers until nothing stirred on the trail behind the escapees.

“Get to the beach,” shouted a voice from the jungle. “Run!”

“Do it!” shouted HawkShadow as he turned and continued running. “To the beach.”

The group did not hesitate. They all turned and ran after HawkShadow. As they emptied onto the beach the group stopped and stared. Bodies littered the beach and the sands were stained with blood. Three men stood in black and silver uniforms. One of the men wore a cape.

“Emperor Marak?” shouted Mistake. “What are you doing here?”

“I certainly am not here to interfere with your plans,” Marak grinned at Tamar. “I was just in the neighborhood testing out our new boats. I suggest you hurry and launch your elven scout ship. The Motangan ships will be by shortly.”

“Those were your men in the jungle?” asked HawkShadow as he waved Tamar over to the scout ship.

“Botal’s squad is covering the jungle trail for now,” nodded the Torak as he stared at Avalar, “but other Motangans arrived a while ago by the beach trail. There may be more coming from each direction.”

HawkShadow and Tamar dragged the scout ship into the water, and the three women immediately jumped in. Avalar walked over to Marak and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Whoever you are, friend,” Avalar smiled, “I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

“We shall talk in Angragar,” smiled the Torak. “You owe me nothing.”

Avalar swung into the scout ship, and Tamar followed him as HawkShadow pushed the craft away from the beach. By the time HawkShadow pulled himself over the side, Tamar had the sails unfurled, and Avalar had the helm, guiding the ship out to sea.

Avalar watched over his shoulder as close to twenty men emerged from the jungle. They carried five small boats and set them in the water. Four men filled each of the boats. The skimmers moved with surprising speed as they darted out of the small cove.

“Ship off the port bow,” shouted Tamar. “I suspect it is Motangan.”

Avalar turned to look at the ship. His jaw grew rigid as he calculated the speed and direction of the other ship. He angled his craft to starboard, but he did not think he would be able to outrun the enemy vessel. The mood on the scout ship grew tense and silent as the large enemy ship continued to gain on them. The enemy ship had its sails full of wind, and the only way that Avalar could accomplish the same windage was to parallel the coast of Motanga. He knew that was not a good idea.

Unexpectedly, two of the small Khadoran vessels came between the elven scout ship and the enemy vessel. Avalar watched with curiosity as the Khadorans headed straight for the enemy ship.

“What are they doing?” Avalar asked aloud. “They will be crushed by that behemoth.”

Suddenly, a projectile flew from one of the skimmers. It struck the Motangan ship just above the waterline. The enemy warship turned sharply and headed toward the small vessel as if to ram it. The small boat darted away while the other Khadoran boat sent another projectile into the opposite side of the ship. It also struck the Motangan ship just above the waterline.