When Darkness Falls

Chapter 6: THE WARNING

Chapter 6: THE WARNING
As the two people were swept down the river, Arya stood to the side on a bare bank and heard one trying to communicate.  He was calling.  His language was that of old elven but the message was simple and clear, “The enemies come.”
Arya bolted up from the bed looking around, covered in sweat.  It was just a dream, she told herself.  But then…why did it seem so real? 
She went to the window and looked to the river’s rapid currents.  Everything seemed normal.  Then, right as she turned to get back into her warm, comforting bed, she heard it again but so soft was it, that it seemed to be the wind its self. “They come!” 
This time it was much more urgent and somehow, she didn’t know how, but somehow she knew it was true.  Quickly putting the dragon egg under the mattress, she ran to the door grabbing a robe as she went, and raced out into the room of Ma.
She quickly went over to her and told her of what she had seen.  The woman’s eyes grew wide but she did not question Arya.  She, in turn, ran to the door and threw it open Arya chasing after her not wanting to miss the outcome.
Ma ran straight to the gates with the night watch and barked at the guards that she needed to see Commander Jerl Hanara immediately. Wow!  Ma really knows how to work these guards!  And I’ll get to meet Commander Hanara!  I hope they believe me.
The guards hastily stepped aside to let Ma in but when Arya came they resumed their positions once again.
“We cannot let you pass.”
“But I’m with Ma, I mean, Miss Tuffle.”
“Sorry, but these are the rules Miss…?”
“My name is Arya!  I demand that you let me in, in the name of King Ciptian!”  The guards, surprise apparent in their faces, stood there motionless but Arya did not wait around to see what happened.  She pushed right through them, disregarding all manners, following Ma up the stairs.
When she found her, she was on top of the gate heatedly talking with a man in full uniform.  That must be Commander Hanara, Arya thought.
As she approached, Ma saw her and pulled her toward the commander.  “Arya”, she said.  “This is Commander Hanara. Tell him what you saw.”
Arya flushed with embarrassment but did not hesitate.  She told him everything, including hearing the voice a second time at the windowsill. 
After she had done so she looked up to the commander’s expressionless face.  She couldn’t tell whether he believed her or not.  The commander looked at her one last moment and then looked to a guard standing watch on the bridge, giving him signal to come over.
“Namro.  I need you to assemble the Shadow archers along the bank of the river immediately.  Stay out of site and keep watch for anything coming toward the city in the river or on the land.” 
The guard saluted and glanced at Arya quizzically.  Then he was gone in full dash.  The commander turned to Arya.
“Thank you for your help, Lady Ciptian” he nodded, “and Miss Tuffle” he nodded once more.  “Now if you will excuse me, I have some important matters to take care of.”  With that he left them alone on the bridge. 
Arya turned to Ma.  “I don’t know how to thank you enough!”
“Oh, it was nothing deary.  And by what you said, it sounded urgent.”
“You’ve been so kind to me and I’ll never forget it.”
“Yes, well, I try to help those in need because I know if it were me I’d surely need it.”  Just as she finished talking, the Shadow Archers raced past them, silent as the night.
“Ma?”
“Yes?”
“Do you know of anywhere in the city you can see the river”, Arya said with curiosity.
“Why of course!  You don’t think a woman my age wouldn’t know every detail about her city, do you?”  she said smiling curiously as well.
“Could we go, just, you know, check things out.”
Ma smiled.  “On we go!”  She turned around and headed for the stairs.
                   
Namro stood along side one of the Shadow archers pleased with the past events that lead him here…
Namro looked at the young woman curiously, wondering what she had to do with all of this and then dashed off to the Shadow Captain.  He found him discussing plans with one of the soldiers in the barracks at the end of the gate.
As he entered the door, the captain abruptly stopped talking as if what he was saying was confidential.  He looked at Namro who saluted and the captain returned it. 
“Guard Namro.  What business have you down in the barracks?  Surely your watch didn’t end early?”
“I am sent by Commander Hanara.  He sends orders to assemble by the river immediately.  You are to keep out of sight and be watching for anything coming toward the city in the river or on the land.”
The Captain cocked an eyebrow but said nothing.  “Hanson,” he said addressing the soldier beside him, “gather the archers and have them report to me immediately.”  They saluted and Hanson left.
The captain turned around to gather the archers inside the barracks who were not on shift.  Namro looked at his back and took a deep breath.
“C-Captain?”  The captain turned around.  “I was-uh-do you think I could-uh…” He looked at the captain sheepishly.  “I think I may be of some assistance on the river.  A-and you, of all people, know that I’ve been training to join the Shadow Archers and I thought, well, I think this would be a good experience for me…that is if you think I’m ready.”
The captain took a good look at the eager guard thoughtfully.  He turned around toward the men.  Namro’s shoulders sunk down and he turned to leave.  Then the captain said something over his shoulder.
“You may come, Namro.”  Namro, smiling from ear to ear, stood up straight and saluted. 
“Yes Sir!”
And so he had been with them as they quietly crept down to the river and he was paired with one of the archers on the front line of the trees by the riverside and given a bow.
They waited for any sign of movement signaling their attack but for now, they stood quietly, listening to the sound of the rushing waters of the river.
Then, Namro heard a strange whistling noise coming closer and closer.  Not knowing what it was, Namro took a step closer to his partner to tell him what he heard and he tripped.  That trip saved his life.  As soon as he hit the ground, he heard a cry from his neighbor cut short.  Looking up he saw his dead body falling to the ground with a hole right through it. 
His eyes were wide with terror as he stood up but the quickly dropped back to the ground as the deadly boomerang made its way back to its master.
“Attack!” Namro yelled.  Then they heard a screech piercing through the air that made the men fall to the ground in agony, covering their ears.
With tear filled eyes, Namro looked up to see black, galloping figures coming directly toward him.  He yelped and ran back farther into the woods where the others were.
The woods were total chaos.  Arrows were flying everywhere, men were shouting, and some were climbing trees to get a better shot at the attackers.  All the while the captain was trying to get them organized but he could not be heard through the yells of elves and the rushing river.
The enemies started riding through the woods, sending more deadly boomerangs as they went.  The more men that fell, the more men that climbed the trees hoping to stay out of range but still able to shoot.
As the enemy came farther in, Namro went farther out, without realizing it, utterly confused by the events taking place.  As he wandered to toward the river, he heard a yell.  Someone’s calling for help.
Mind snapping back into action, Namro ran to the river to help this desperate voice.  When he got to the river, he saw someone in the water holding something in its arms being swiftly pulled down stream.
He looked around desperately trying to find something to help this person all the while running with the current of the river so that they wouldn’t get separated.  Then a thought came to him.
“Hello!  I’m hear to help you”, he said sounding foolish.  “I need you to catch hold of the arrow when I shoot it in front of you.  Do you understand?”  Namro heard a gurgling sound reply and then a new attempt.
“Yes!  Hurry!”
Namro stopped long enough to pull apart the rope that held his quiver, tie it to the end of a rope, and aim toward the front of the quickly disappearing victim of the river.
“It comes!”  He sent the arrow in front of the person so he would reach that point in the river at the same time the arrow did.  He dropped his bow, holding the other end of the rope and running with the river hoping the struggling form would catch it.
                   
As Kyron neared the woods guarding Bashinma, the riders started going faster, to his amazement, and past him.  One of the nightriders threw something into the woods beyond and a moment later Kyron heard a scream of agony.
Whatever was being thrown, Kyron didn’t want thrown at them so he quickly turned himself sideways to give himself a better chance of catching a rock.
It worked at a painful cost.  As he slammed against one of the many rocks in the river, he felt Wimble go limp in his arms.  Kyron quickly wrapped his arms around the boulder so they would not once again be swept down river.  Once he was in this position (Wimble was firmly between him and the rock), he suddenly wondered how they were to get out of the river.  They couldn’t just stay here forever.
Before he had much more time to think, an arrow came whistling by Kyron’s head causing him to let go of the rock.  When he did this, he accidentally let go of Wimble and frantically swam after him.
Once he caught him, he saw the men in the woods valiantly fighting the nightriders.  He cried for help hoping someone would hear him, anyone. Then someone came crashing through the woods and called out to him. When Kyron tried to answer, his head went under but he quickly resurfaced and answered sputtering.
After a moment, an arrow came whistling through the air directly in front of Kyron and he lunged at it.  He gave a shout of triumph when he caught the rope jerking him to a stop, but to his horror, moments later the rope started slipping from his grasp.
Kyron held on desperately with the on arm that was free while the other held the unconscious Wimble.
“Pull it in! I’m slipping!”  He felt a mighty heave at the other end of the rope a slowly, but surely, they started making their way towards land.
                   
Namro heaved the rope with all of his might, praying it would not slip from his hands.  The pull of the river was making it very difficult for him to pull the man on the other side of the rope to safety but he would not give up.
As the muscles bulged in Namro’s arms, and his feet started to slip but he held firm.
He gave a mighty pull with the strength of ten men and the victims were on the land.
                   
Sputtering, Kyron looked up to his rescuer. He was clearly very young, not even finished with his training, and was, as Kyron knew, an elf of Bashinma. His face was full of worry as he looked down at Kyron.
“Are you all right?”
“I-I think so.”  He looked down at Wimble and brought him up in front of him.  Namro gasped.
“I need to get you two the city”, Namro said with urgency but he noticed a flicker of fear cross the man’s eyes in front of him.  His many questions would have to wait.
“What of the riders?  What are we to do about them?”  Namro thought for a moment.
“I need to get reinforcements as quickly as possible.  If you can keep up with me while carrying the…” Namro hesitated.  He didn’t exactly know what that thing in front of him was. “Boy”, he concluded, “then you can follow me.  If not, I will come back for you.”
Kyron gathered Wimble into his arms and tried to stand.  A searing pain struck through his side and he nearly dropped him.  He carefully laid Wimble back down and sat still bent over on his knees willing the pain to subside.
Namro saw that the man was wounded even though he said other wise.  “I’ll help you to cover and then come back for you.  We must hurry, or there might be no need for reinforcements”, he trailed off bitterly.
Kyron nodded and the elf bent over to help him stand.  Despite the continuous pain, Kyron was able to stand with aid and hobbled over to a bush where the elf left him to get Wimble.
A sudden idea came to Kyron.  Once the elf left to get help, Kyron could leave Wimble here where he knew the elf would return so that Wimble might find aid for his wounds and Kyron could slip away and never have to enter the forbidden city.
When the elf returned, he carefully laid Wimble down next to Kyron, exchanged a few words and was off running with the speed of the wind to Bashinma.
-End of Chapter Six-