Stalker
Chapter 8: Pursuit
“Frogi, after her! Everyone else, over the hill! Charge!” The dwarves let loose an ancient battlecry. They charged down the hill, ready to save their comrades. Meanwhile, Frogi, the dwarf told to pursue Vanyen, set off toward her. She was fast disappearing over the next hill and he knew he had to make up the ground before she got too far ahead.
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Vanyen was blind in her fear. All she could do was run. She didn’t know where she was going, until she found her feet on stone. She realized she was in the Jorgodi, mighty mountains. She just had to rest. She couldn’t keep running. Vanyen stumbled into a nearby cave. She sat down and pulled a canteen from her belt. She drank quickly. Suddenly, she heard a rumble from above her. The haunting tune fell into her mind.
Mountains cave
Building a grave
I will come for you
Vanyen heard footsteps from around the cave wall. She had to get out. She glanced around. There were no openings. She was trapped.
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Krogi charged forward. The centaur was surrounded. He had no idea now Kryger was still alive. The plan was going downhill, because of that coward. Vanyen must have never seen real battle. Krogi’s battleaxe cut through the goblins. Kryger rode out. He towered over Krogi. “I thank you, Krogi. Where’s Vanyen? I saw her fall back from the hill.”
“She ran.”
“Ha ha. Where is she? Is she hurt?”
“It wasn’t a joke. She was scared. She flew off like there was a golem at her heels. She betrayed us all.”
Kryger’s dagger was at Krogi’s throat in an instant. “Never say that again,” said Kryger snarled. Krogi wasn’t threatened. “I won't. But I don’t see why you have so much faith in her. I don’t know why we even came to help you if all you do is run away and put blades to our necks.”
“You came because the goblins can flush you out without even trying. You know there’s a hidden power here.”
Krogi’s eyes widened. “You think… they have one? How?”
“I don’t know. We can discuss later. For now,” Kryger said solemnly, “we must tend to the dead.”
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Frogi turned the corner and found the traitor standing there, axes drawn. She swung at him, but Frogi brought his shield up. “You’ve chosen the wrong place to run, traitor.” Frogi swung his war pick, but Vanyen sidestepped and stomped on the edge of the pick. It was twisted out of his hand.
“Seems I’ve underestimated you,” he grunted. Frogi pulled a small switch on the inside of his shield. It was large and protected his bulk perfectly. Razor blades ejected from the front and sides of the shield. He looked at Vanyen to gauge her reaction, but all he saw was fear. Intense fear. The fighter in him knew the enemy's fear was good, but another part of him, perhaps the part that had fathered a little dwarf girl, saw something else. A young person fighting an uphill battle.
He pushed the thought down. He would not betray Krogi. He pulled out a small stone wrapped in threaded steel. He tossed it at her, and hid behind his shield, waiting for the explosion.