“There are more bodies over the hill. This was a slaughter.”
Vomarian Fae looked towards Westwind, whose face was still badly swollen, arm still in a sling and healing from his encounter with Varick two weeks ago. He then surveyed the carnage around him. An entire caravan wiped out on the road. Some of the bodies, likely guards, had honorable wounds, but most were cut down from behind; civilians.
Turning one of them over, a woman, Vomarian saw a detailed piece of jewelry around her neck. It appeared authentic. Gem encrusted bracers were on her forearms. Untouched.
“Why would the Rirorni slaughter their own? Bandits?” Westwind asked.
“No, not robbery. The Rirorni didn’t do this. This was done in pure malice. ” Checking a few deeply imprinted footprints, Vomarian continued, “One man. An animal did this.”
“Varick,” Westwind cursed under his breath.
“Captain! Koma found a mine entrance in the valley below!”
Closing the woman’s eyes, Vomarian gripped his battle axe tightly to join the other fifty elves ahead of them. Three Shagornan elves were pulling tight on a rope tethered to Koma as it attempted to continue downward towards a cave in the distance.
“I see I’m not the only one interested in Varick these days. Oh, thank Undgari’s ravens! You have the mere dragon too.”
Vomarian Fae and Westwind turned and saw five Rirorni on horseback approach. The leader was stocky and his skin was sun-darkened. Like most Rirorni, his hair was pitch black, thick, and worn long, but with an uncommon curl. There were four deep scars, likely from a war flail, which ran diagonally across his face.
The disfigured Rirorni looked past Vomarian and Westwind to the other Shagornan elves and said, “Interesting that Varick returned back home to his fighting pits. My name is Warlord Bal’taz and I think you are going to need more men to capture Varick alive.”
“We don’t need him alive. I’m only interested in freeing Araminth who he has prisoner,” Westwind said.
Vomarian commented, “Besides, if you doubt fifty elves can capture him, I believe you over estimate the ability of just your four men.”
Bal’taz said in a haughty smirk, “Oh, I brought more than four men with me. See on the valley’s ridge above.”
Vomarian and Westwind turned. The sun was high, the skies hue was a light blue, as a few clouds drifted. However, the range was barren.
“Wait for it,” Bal’taz said.
Several more heartbeats of awkward silence passed.
Huffing in annoyance Bal’taz continued, “Well, my timing appears to be a bit-”
“Sir, on the ridge!”
Turning back, yellow banners began to crest both sides of the hill. Then hundreds of Rirorni horsemen appeared and circled the ridge above. The entire valley was surrounded.
Another procession of horsemen came down the road. Leading was the Great Khan General Karameikos. He wore golden, plated armor, surrounded by a thick, fur mantle. The leader of the Rirorni Empire was a large man, who seemed to have not missed many meals. He head was clean shaven, except a tuff of black hair in the front of his forehead. He had piercing dark eyes with a keen intelligence behind them. He beamed with pleasure as his entourage approached.
“Well met again, Vomarian Fae of the Shagornan elves. I see you also found my stolen mere dragon I purchased from you and My-re, which you will turn over promptly,” Khan Karameikos said with a tone indicating a command not to be ignored.
Vomarian’s men looked to him. Koma had tracked Varick and performed its duties well. Their quarry was in a mining cave with nowhere to go. While he didn’t want to give up the mere dragon, it didn’t server any further use other than returning it back to Shelia Greywand. Unfortunately, Karameikos had fifty men behind him and a few hundred more on the ridge. What choice did he have? He nodded to his men to turn over the reins.
“Warlord Bal’taz! Excellent job tracking Varick and my mere dragon.”
“You are too kind Great Khan.”
Westwind commented, “Anyone could have tracked Varick. All they had to do was follow the blood trail and bodies.”
Vomarian shook his head for him to remain silent. No need to insult a man with an army behind him.
Khan Karameikos commanded, “Time to flush out our little, escaped bird. Send in my royal guard. Kill anything that moves, and bring me Varick’s head.”
“Great Khan, I must express caution. He has Araminth’s in there held prisoner,” Westwind said.
Vomarian ordered, “Elves! Form a phalanx! I want two rows of large shield bearers followed by another two rows of long spears-”
Interrupting, Bal’taz said, “I don’t think there’s a need for either approach.” Pointing to the valley below, from the cavern’s entrance emerged a mountain of a man with several armed pit gladiators behind him. It was Varick. He stood there with his men. Waiting.
Khan Karameikos, urged his horse forward surrounded by a dozen Royal Guard archers towards Varick. Vomarian followed on foot, but motioned Westwind to stay. He didn’t want him to do anything rash and put Araminth’s life in danger. The Shagornan elf looked back. Bal’taz stood there and didn’t seem to have any inclination on joining them.
“Warlord Bal’taz, you have the honor of leading the procession,” Khan Karameikos said without turning around on his horse. “Varick escaped from your custody after all with my mere dragon. You can now restore your lost honor.”
With Bal’taz now reluctantly leading the entourage on horseback, they approached the cave entrance as Varick stood patiently. A great sword strapped to his back. The lightly armored pit gladiators had weapons drawn and appeared eager for a fight.
Stopping a respectable distance, Khan Karameikos announced, “I am the Great Warlord General Khan Karameikos. I am Ghea’s thunder, drinker of her rivers, and horse master of the vast Rirorni Empire. You have Araminth in your custody. Release her immediately.”
Nodding slightly towards the group, Varick said, “Welcome, Great Khan of Khans. Lady Araminth Goldeneye is my guest, but is tied-up at the moment. So it is with great displeasure, I can not grant your request. I would invite you in to see her, but I am afraid my accommodations are not worthy of you presence.”
Scoffing, Karameikos said, “Varick, you are renowned and a skilled warrior. Something the Rirorni admire and respect. Release Araminth Goldeneye, I will make you a warlord in my army and provide you a company of Rirorni warriors to command.”
Bal’taz then added, “Release her and your companions will be freed and no longer fight as pit gladiators.”
Varick nodded respectfully at both proposals and then turned to Vomarian Fae. “So, Shagornan elf. What will you offer Varick this day?”
“Death,” Vomarian Fae replied in a muted tone.
Both Karameikos and Bal’taz mouths dropped and they slowly tilted their heads towards him with a look of ‘what in the nine hells are you doing?’
Vomarian continued. “I offer a Dark Arena match. If I win, Araminth goes free.”
“And when I win?” Varick retorted.
“The surety My-re will come for you in a Blood Feud.”
Varick smirked haughtily at Vomarian’s comment and contemplated the offers. “So, I have three propositions set before me. One, join my enemy. Two, trust a liar. Or three, honorable combat that assures the object of my lifelong hatred is brought to me to face my vengeance.”
There was silence.
“I choose revenge.”