“Run!” Lars cried. “I’ve cover you.”

  My mind went blank. My screw-up would cost Lars his life. I couldn’t run away and leave him to die. What was he thinking?

  “No, we triumph together,” I snarled, pulling my sword. “Or die together.”

  Lars turned, palmed the back of my head, and kissed me fiercely. “I love you, Ari.”

  The goblins and orcs reached us. Lars stepped between them and me, trying to protect me. I cut right to move around him and get my share of the Final Glory. A big orc plowed into Lars, smashing him back into me.

  “Lars!” I cried as he went down under a pile of orcs and goblins, while I stumbled back to teeter at the edge of the cliff. “No!”

  The goblin leader moved toward me, a scary leer on his twisted face. “Come to me, my pretty.”

  The soil beneath my booted foot crumbled, and I slipped over the side. One hand barely managed to cling onto a jagged stone. The goblin leaned over and grinned as I dangled precariously above the river a hundred feet below.

  “Me and the boys are gonna have a good time tonight,” he sneered and reached for my wrist. “With you on your knees.”

  That hellish scene swept across my mind’s eyes. So I opened my hand and plummeted toward the river below.

  “Forgive me, Lars!”

  Chapter 3

  Clutching the stitch in my side, I ran for all I was worth up to the city gate. The tall, whitewashed gatehouse and city walls of Twin Forks loomed over me and the gate guards.

  “Help,” I gasped out. “They took him. Help me.”

  The farmers, traders, and travelers all backed away, while the gate guards rushed up and surrounded me. I knew most of them by name, and I recognized the faces of the rest. And they knew who and what I was, as well.

  Sergeant Holkas marched up to me as I gasped for breath. That had to be the fastest I’d ever run back to garrison. I looked at the tall, gruff, middle-aged Sergeant of the Guard as he scowled at my empty sword scabbard, damp clothes, and disheveled hair. Yeah, I was a mess.

  “Goblins. Orcs,” I gasped out. “Raiders. Got Lars. Must tell commander.”

  The veteran sergeant didn’t hesitate. He ordered a pair of guards to help me, and then headed for brigade headquarters. The two gate guards each grabbed an arm and half-dragged me through the city. In my exhaustion, it felt like they bum-rushed me through the streets. The good citizens were mostly just a blur to me, but I noticed faces looking at me. They probably thought I was under arrest or drunk, because I saw disapproval on their faces.

  Least of my concerns. Getting a small, mobile force together and going to rescue Lars was my first priority and only concern. There was still time to save him if we hurried, especially if the commander gave us horses for the trip to the Copper Creek.

  The garrison guards waved us through, and Sergeant Holkas presented me to Brigadier General Fulke. The short, bald nobleman regarded my unkempt body with disapproval.

  “Sir. Ranger Ariana reporting,” I said, remembering what a stickler he was for military custom and protocol. “Ranger Lars and I discovered a band of goblins and orcs conducting slave raids across the river. We were ambushed, and Ranger Lars was captured.”

  “What happened to you?” Brigadier Fulke asked.

  I was pretty sure I just told him. Did he expect me to change into Dress Grays before reporting?

  “I was knocked off Overwatch Heights into the river, sir,” I said. “Sir, if we hurry, we can still save Ranger Lars.”

  “Are there any raiding parties on our side of the border?”

  “I believe so, sir. I counted ten boats beached on our side of the river at Copper Creek,” I said. “After we rescue Ranger Lars, then we can set up a trap for the returning raiders.”

  I had forty long minutes to consider all of our options during the brutal run back to garrison. I wasn’t cavalry, but I thought a company of cavalry could saddle their mounts and get to Copper Creek in about the same time it took me to run. That would leave Lars in enemy hands less than an hour and a half. Too long, but I doubted they’d torture him right away.

  Brigadier Fulke sent a runner to the cavalry squadron’s commander, and another runner to one of the infantry battalion commanders. The two colonels arrived a few minutes later, but I thought everyone was taking too much time. Fulke looked fierce, he looked angry, but he gave no sign he was in a hurry.

  Fulke and the two colonels “debriefed” me. Really, they drilled me mercilessly for facts. They wanted to know exactly what happened. Their rank and authority almost made me admit to our little indiscretion. But leaving that out, I told them every little thing I remembered.

  “Colonel Tann,” Fulke said. “I want a troop out the gate within fifteen minutes. Find that raiding party and annihilate them!”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Colonel Kurk, I expect to see a company of soldiers marching out shortly thereafter to support the cavalry. Any questions, gentlemen?”

  My jaw dropped. “What? What about Lars? We have to rescue him.”

  Brigadier Fulke gave me a dismissive look. “No. We could lose a dozen or more soldiers during a rescue mission across the border. If it was a large number of civilians, yes, we’d go, but not for a single soldier.”

  “The whole border could erupt if we cross the river,” Colonel Tann said. “Not worth it.”

  My blood froze. I couldn’t move, couldn’t think, for a long moment. They were going to let them have Lars. My Lars. And then the Brigadier dismissed us.

  Everyone dispersed, leaving me alone outside Brigade headquarters. I watched the cavalry saddle a troop of horses, mount up, and ride away. Took less than ten minutes. Ten more minutes that Lars had to live in captivity. How long before the goblins and orcs decided to take their pound of flesh in revenge for their friends we killed?

  I almost swooned with that thought. But then I realized I’d regained my wind. I felt fine, and a plan began to form. If the commander wouldn’t rescue Lars, then it was up to me.

  Rushing to the barracks, I changed clothes. I had two sets of field leathers, mottled green and mottle brown. I put on the mottled brown set. After putting on my dry pair to soft-soled boots, I headed for the armory. The armorer, Corporal Jess, was a pretty redheaded quarter-elf. She was a ranger living legend, but two years back lost her left leg below the knee.

  “Hello, Ariana, back already?” Jess said when I stepped up to her counter. Then her eyes scanned my body, ending at my empty scabbard. “Where’s your bow? Where’s your sword?”

  “I lost them.”

  “What? Do you know how much a sword costs?”

  I cringed. I knew some swords cost as much as a horse. The army had its own sword smiths, so the cost had to be lower. Right?

  “Lars and I got ambushed up on Overwatch Heights this afternoon. I was knocked off into the river during the fight,” I said. Honestly, I didn’t remember losing my sword or bow. I didn’t recall pulling my sword at all. I just remembered Lars going down under that pile of goblins and orcs. My heart began racing, and it got harder to breathe. “They… They caught Lars.” Jess blanched. “The commander won’t send anyone to rescue him. So I have to do it.”

  “No, Ari, it’s too dangerous.”

  I couldn’t stop the tears. “I have to, Jess. He’s my heart. Please, can you let me have another sword, bow, and two quivers?”

  “If I do, you’ll just go and get yourself killed.”

  I shrugged. “I have no reason to live without Lars.”

  Jess still balked. I felt desperation welling up.

  “Jess, what would you do if your man was captured? Please help me.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. Jess nodded, and gave me another sword, bow, and the two quivers full of arrows I requested.

  “Be careful, Ari,” she said. “I’ll pray for you and Lars.”

  Rangers came and went at all hours of the day and night, so no one challenged me when I headed out fully armed. I avoided the main gate, and departed through the smaller River Gate. I lost myself in the bustle of the docks, and then took a rowboat across Willow River. I could float the boat down the river to the larger Baktu, and then row upriver to Copper Creek, but that would take hours. I could get there in forty minutes on foot, an hour if I wanted to be more rested.

  I glanced at the westering sun. Night would fall before I reached the monsters holding Lars. Goblins and orcs didn’t see any better in the dark than humans, so I saw that as an advantage which would allow me to close with them unseen. I could take out a lot of them with my bow before they even figured out they were under attack.

  Chapter 4

  I followed the same path back to Copper Creek. To conserve strength, I moved a bit slower than earlier. When I got winded, I slowed to a fast walk, so it took me the better part of fifty minutes to return. The sun had set by that time, and I arrived in twilight. It proved easy to locate the lone goblin left to guard the boats.

  I could easily pick him off with my bow, but he might cry out a warning. So I used all my hard won skills and stealthily snuck up behind him. The poor fool never suspected a thing while he pounded on a large bone with a rock to get the marrow out. I pulled my long belt knife, pressed up against his back, and slapped a hand over his mouth. He froze an instant before my blade thrust into his back, angled up under his ribs to cut off any hope of an outcry.

  He died quickly and silently.

  I slowly and quietly pushed all ten boats into the river and watched them drift away. If the raiding party managed to evade the cavalry, then they’d be in for a rude surprise. I smiled as I slowly waded into the cold water and began to swim.

  My eyes remained locked on the goblin encampment. I counted ten of the little monsters. Exactly what I expected, but I didn’t see Lars. Of course, he’d be tied up and staked to the ground in the tall weeds. The goblins made a god-awful lot of noise as they joked and cackled in laughter.

  I came out of the water downriver and downwind of the camp. A goblin’s sense of smell was thought to be twice as acute as a dog’s. This girl wasn’t taking any chances. Lars would be rescued, or I’d die trying.

  Once under cover of the forest, I dropped to one knee and pulled my bowstring out of the watertight pouch. I strung my bow, drained my quivers of river water, and thrust twelve arrows into the soft earth before me as I studied the goblins around the campfire. Six of them had their backs to me. They were passing a jug around, so were probably at least a little drunk.

  A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. The first couple will die drunk and happy.

  I nocked a wet arrow. The dampness might affect its flight a little, but I was still too close to miss. They were all dead goblins. The only question was whether I’d have to use either of the two spare arrows I’d already pulled out.

  The biggest goblin sat across the fire and faced my way. He’d be their leader. So I killed him first. Put that arrow right into his throat. The look on his face warmed my heart. And then it became a blur of nock, pull, loose. Nine more times, and the field was mine. Ten motionless goblins lay around that campfire.

  Nocking another arrow, with the last of the twelve held between two fingers, I eased out to ensure all of the goblins were dead. I would leave no survivors. Period. I wasn’t feeling merciful after the day I’d had.

  As I approached, I discovered they were indeed alone. No prisoners anywhere. No Lars.

  I thought my heart would just stop. I couldn’t breathe. How and why did they get rid of him so fast? Did they kill him and toss the body in the river?

  Checking the goblins, I found two still alive. Barely. To my surprise, the first goblin was alive. That arrow through his neck just missed his windpipe. Apparently, I missed the major artery and vein, too. Lucky bastard. Or not.

  “Where’s the ranger you took today?” I demanded.

  He stared up at me, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. I slapped him once, twice, and asked again.

  “W-We sent him to the salt mines.”

  “Just one person? Why not wait for the raiding party to return with more?”

  “We just…sent…a coffle away,” he gasped out. “Rushed him…up trail…to join it.”

  All I could do was stare at him. It was all for nothing? Lars was already three hours away?

  No. They’ll stop for the night. I can catch up, I thought.

  I dispatched the two surviving goblins and then retrieved my arrows from their dead bodies. I thought I’d enjoy it, considering what they’d done to Lars. Yet, I felt empty. Lost. It was like all of the color had left the world, all of the joy. To get it back I headed up the trail I’d earlier seen the goblins leading the coffle away upon.

  Tracking them proved easy, even in the dark. Neither the captured humans nor their goblin and orc guards felt any need to conceal their passage through the forest. The slavers did make their charges move briskly. I noticed bits of red human blood on the trail, and one spot they’d stopped to beat someone bloody. In my mind, that someone was Lars. He would definitely put up a fight, so would rate a beat down.

  About an hour in, I stopped when I detected wood smoke in the air. I nocked an arrow and eased forward down the trail.

  Surely they haven’t stopped for the night just an hour from the river?

  A long, exhausting day of raiding, combined with a sense of security inspired by being in their homeland, might convince the Wasteland slavers they could stop for the night. I also liked the thought that Lars kicked up suck a fight that he wore them out.

  A few minutes later disappointment claimed me. No slave camp. It was a goblin village. I dropped to one knee and surveyed all of the cleared and tilled land around the village. Just the idea that goblins and orcs would do such ordinary jobs like farming and shepherding amazed me. I knew someone had to do those things to feed their population, but vicious, blood-thirsty goblins and orcs?

  The village looked as basic as I’d ever seen. Fifteen round huts were spaced along a gurgling creek, with smoke rising out of about half of the thatch roofs. I saw no fire outside, or any other indication of life. Goblins and orcs didn’t keep pets like dogs as far as I knew. Still, I’d be careful.

  Leaving the trail, I skirted the open farmland as I continued northward. I’d already noted where the trail reentered the forest on the other side of the village. It would only delay me a few minutes, but I felt the frustration anyway. Every indication on the trail said the slavers were still forcing their prisoners to move quickly.

  “Human! Human!”

  I froze, eyes huge. My eyes scanned the edge of the forest looking for their night guard.

  There! I thought, spotting a small goblin male in nothing but a loincloth and armed with a spear. I nocked an arrow and killed him in three heartbeats, but it was already too late. The village erupted with angry shouts. Someone started clanging on metal. Then I spotted at least twenty goblins come charging out of the village.

  I started to take off after the slavers, but the goblins broke into two groups. One group went north of me, while the other went to the south. More goblins came out of the village a moment later, but they spread out to cover the treeline with bows.

  Well, bugger me raw, I thought. Then I heard the north and south groups swing around to join up to my left, the west. They completely surrounded me. Obviously, their village elders trained them well. That sucks goblin balls.

  A rotund goblin hag waddled out of the village, and took a position behind her line of archers. The moon hadn’t come up yet, so I couldn’t make out much detail about her.

  “Human! We got you surrounded,” she shouted. “Surrender and we’ll let you live.”

  I nocked an arrow, took careful aim, and let loose. The arrow flew true in the light breeze, and transfixed her little body. Right through the heart. The goblin elder fell straight back to lie spread-eagle in their crops.

  “Pray we leave even one of you alive tonight!” I shouted. They were stopping me from reaching Lars. My already frayed temper ignited. “Our company is here to kill you all!”

  Goblins were just as easily spooked and frightened as human peasants. No goblin village could stand up against a company of human soldiers. So I upped the ante by starting to pick off the goblin archers one by one, all while stealthily moved around so they believed there really were a lot of humans hidden in the dark forest.

  They did not break and run. Instead, they rained arrows into the forest. That forced me behind trees and ended my assault. They became emboldened, and started walking toward the forest as they continued to shoot arrows in all around me. So I had to stay in place and pick them off, which showed them it was just a single human.

  “It’s just a weak human woman,” a male goblin called. “Close in from all sides. We’ll feast on her soft flesh tonight!”

  I redoubled my efforts, sending goblin after goblin to whatever frozen afterworld awaited them. Soon, I had to start shooting goblins sneaking up from my other three sides. It got hairy quickly.

  Suddenly, three goblins emerged from the darkness. Two carried swords, the other a spear. They converged on me at the same time. I used my bow to block aside a spear thrust. I used my bow to parry a sword strike. My bow snapped in two, forcing me to pull my sword.

  I feigned a thrust at the third goblin, but cut back and stabbed the spearman in the gut. I grabbed the dying goblin and ran him headlong into one of the others, before following him in to kill his cohort with a thrust through the heart.

  The sound of running goblins in the night forest all around me sent me off running. I ducked, dodged, and only stopped to briefly engage goblins I couldn’t get past otherwise. For a few minutes they had me running in circles, but I finally broke through and hit the trail at a full run.

  Screaming goblins followed, screaming their blood-lust. I had longer legs, so quickly pulled away. About ten minutes into my run I realized they had me heading south, back towards the river and the Kingdom of Orsa.

  I tried to veer off the trail and circle around, but they cut me off. Those little black-hearted buggers possessed some mean forest skills. They forced me back to the river, and shot arrows at me as I swam across. Once safe in the forest on my side, I sat and glared at them.

 

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