Fragments Gallery
Reconnaissance
Gwendolyn strode through the woods, eyes intent on her destination. She slipped between the trees with an inhuman grace, her hair, as gold as the sun, streaming out behind her as it caught the wind. Trailing behind and slightly off to the right was her companion; a human ranger dressed in the customary deep greens and blacks that befit his position. Aranmir was rugged; he had a square jaw covered with heavy stubble. Many in the past had joked that he must've had dwarven blood. A bow adorned his left shoulder as well.
She was stunning he thought, as were all elves. Her clothing, rough as it was to fit the surrounding wilderness, and the bow rising over her left shoulder seemed to befit a living goddess.
Up ahead she dropped down into a crouch, drawing up next to her he followed suite. Slowly they moved forwards edging up to a cliffs threshold. Cautiously they looked out over the edge, peering down into the valley below.
"Are you sure this is the right valley?" He asked in an undertone, "It looks perfectly normal to me."
"Yes, I'm sure," she replied, staring intently down at the valley, "Faran spoke of the valley due north of the citadel, between the northern swamps and the Hills of Steel. The valley nearest to Lake Evarlit. This is the place."
Bowing his head in acceptance Aranmir settled down for a wait.
When Faran had stumbled into a ranger camp some weeks ago he had not been immediately believed. Faran was an old ranger who had left long ago to live the rest of his life in solitude. Soon afterwards stories had begun to circulate through the camps. There was a war brewing down south. The darkness was to rise again. It was then that the old man's story was given some merit. A ranger, Aranmir, had been dispatched to check Faran's story. Gwendolyn, who had been visiting the camp at the time, had decided to come along.
"Monsters," Faran had said, "They're heading south, coming down out of the mountains. Giant lizards they are, some with teeth longer than your forearm!"
"You'd think that we'd have seen these giant lizards by now," Aranmir stated irritably after a while.
"You don't hold too much stock with his story do you?"
"I trust his word, or rather his belief in what he saw, but it's hard to believe,” He said slowly.
"It is good that you have faith in him," Gwendolyn said, still watching the valley, "I travelled these hills often many years ago. During that time I worked closely with a young woodsman named Faran. He is a good man, an honourable warrior."
Curiously Aranmir looked at his companion but she spoke no further of the past.
After several hours Gwendolyn at last backed away from the cliffs edge and headed back the way they had come. In the sky above the sun now stood directly above their heads. They walked through the trees for a while in silence, considering their next move. Their thoughts were interrupted by a sudden sound off to their left.
Snap.
They looked at each other wordlessly. Something was there. Agilely they each unhooked the bow from their shoulders and set an arrow to the string. Cautiously they moved in the direction of the sound. Turning towards another sound off to the side Gwendolyn gasped and shot. There was a feral screech and a thud as a large body hit the ground.
Keeping a wary eye out for more of them the pair crept towards the beast.
"What manor of beast is this?" asked Aranmir and Gwendolyn could only shake her head in wonder.
The beast had short arms ending with claws and legs long enough that when it stood it was the height of the average human. Furthermore its long neck, now pierced through with an arrow, was topped with a lizards head; its jaw was lined with razor sharp teeth. The whole body was covered with greenish brown scales. They didn't have much time to think on it.
From the surrounding forest came a great keening of which they had never heard the like. It was as if hundreds of creatures all growled at once. It was the sound of a rising storm. As one they looked at each other.
"Run?" asked Aranmir.
"Yes. Run," responded Gwendolyn, "South."
Without another word the pair set off at a run, their direction taking them back towards more civilised lands. They maintained a steady pace at which they quickly traversed the kilometers. But it was to no avail. Close behind they could hear the creatures growling. Every now and then they would catch a glimpse of a creature off to the side. These occasional sightings only spurred them to quicken their pace.
"I don't know about you milady elf," gasped Aranmir, "But I cannot keep this pace up forever. I must rest soon."
"I as well am in need of rest. I know of a cave up ahead where we can take shelter, it is defensible and once we build a fire it will be warm," her voice was strong and firm.
"Lead the way," The ranger glanced at her, she appeared to be no more tired than when they had started.
The cries of the creatures increased in frequency as they grew nearer to the cave. Once the cave was in sight the tone of the cries changed. It became almost triumphant.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," murmured Gwendolyn as they entered a small clearing before the cave. Aranmir only had the breath to grunt in response.
Then they staggered as a roar emanated from the cave.
The pair looked at each other.
"Uh oh," was all that Aranmir managed before it emerged.
It was a colossal monster, all scales, teeth and claws. In appearance it was similar to the little ones that had been following them, but it was gargantuan when compared to the others. Two angry little eyes peered down at them from a head significantly larger than the other beasts. The rapidly sinking sun cast menacing shadows across the beast's snout.
A quick glance around caused Aranmir to curse; the little creatures had caught up. There was no escape. Gwendolyn sighed and put an arrow on the string of her bow.
"With honour," she calmly stated.
"Till death," he agreed, pulling an arrow from his quiver.
Together they stood, staring at the creatures. Unmoving the creatures stared back. The larger beast blinked and then surged forwards, breaking the relative calm. The smaller ones held back for a moment and then followed its example. As one they rushed towards the pair, an unstoppable shrieking tide.
On the far horizon the sun fell below the mountains and the clearing fell to darkness.