Book 2: Chapter 35 (Patreon)

Orrin increased Daniel’s speed, as well as his own, about halfway to max. He felt a momentary twinge of regret that they’d had Madi walk ahead but the stalker had been following them for some time. He had no idea they would suddenly strike once one of them was alone. The tall grass to either side of the long-abandoned path they’d found heading north swayed with the wind they generated as they ran.

A dark thought crossed his mind. Did I have an idea this would happen and send Madi ahead as bait?

Orrin shook his head and ignored his own question. It didn’t matter right now. With their dexterity boosted so much, both Orrin and Daniel were already bearing down on Madi. The enemy spot on his [Map] slowed its approach and flickered between enemy and neutral.

That’s never happened…

Madi peeked over her shoulder at them with a smile and eye-roll. Seeing the two of them running at her in a dead sprint, she must have thought they were racing.

I mean, we do compete a lot…

Orrin slid to a stop and popped a [Ward] on everyone. Daniel drew Gertrude from his back and circled. He glanced at Orrin, who nodded his chin to their right.

Daniel wasted no time and bellowed, “Whoever or whatever you are, come out.”

Madi’s spear extended to its full length and she set up in a fighting stance, reading to lunge or cast a spell at a moment’s notice.

An elf stood up from a crouch about fifty yards from them. He’d moved closer in the moments Orrin had taken to cast his spells. He raised both hands over his head in a placating gesture.

“I would seek food if you have any to spare?”

Orrin tried to use [Identify] but the skill fizzled. The elf turned his blue eyes to Orrin.

“I mean no harm. Are you three from Dey? Perhaps we could trade information?”

Daniel whispered under his breath, “Madi? What should we do here?”

Madi stood up from her crouch and let her spear clink down to its smaller size. She stepped in front of Daniel and waved her hand, summoning the elf forward. She spoke out of the corner of her mouth. “Be alert. I would say he’s a scout, out surveying the Odrana army but he’s too far south and too far west unless they’ve pushed more than my father knows. Something is wrong with this.”

Orrin nodded. “He’s been following us for an hour, maybe more.”

Madi’s face transformed from her relaxed and happy persona to the strict and confident daughter of Silas Catanzano they’d met all those months ago on the road to Dey. If Orrin didn’t know any better, he’d have bet she had a skill or spell for being so imperious.

The elf kept his hands in the air as he walked slowly forward. Orrin noticed his armor, all leather, was decorated with a leaf motif. He had a bracer of knives in different sizes on a belt around his waist and a bow that looked familiar on his back. It’s a Citrandish bow, Orrin realized.

The elf also had two weapons holstered on either hip. On the left, he wore a sword that swept out in a crescent along the blade. Orrin mistook the weapon on the right hip for a mace until he noticed the spiked head actually hung from a short chain. It was different from the flail that Brandt had tried to teach him to use. Orrin just made out marks down the side of the staff portion of the weapon when the elf turned his body into the tall grass a bit more to hide the weapons from view.

“That’s far enough,” Madi called out. “Why are you following us?”

The fake look of surprise on his face was good, Orrin had to admit. “I just caught sight of you a few minutes ago and was seeing if you appeared friendly before approaching. I’m sure you know that our forest is under attack. I can’t be too careful.”

“You’ve been following us for much longer than a few minutes,” Madi said, all traces of mirth gone from her eyes. She exuded confidence and strength and Orrin was very glad she was on his side.

The elf dropped his hands from the air but before he spoke, Madi’s spear grew out, Daniel shimmered as he activated a skill, and Orrin summoned a [Ice Sword].

He slowly raised his hands again. “Sorry. If I was following you, it was not intentional or known to me. Like I said, I just noticed you and—”

“Buddy, I’ve got the [Map] skill and have been watching you dance around us as a hostile. Give it up. Who are you?” Orrin spoke over him. He readied an inversed [Increase Dexterity]. This guy had the appearance of someone who moved quickly.

The elf laughed. He tilted his head back and laughed at the sky.

“Madi, try and daze him if you can. Orrin, do your thing. You guys ready?” Daniel muttered under his breath.

“Wait. No need to attack.” The intruder kept his hands up. “I’m laughing at my own failure, not you.”

“What failure?” Madi asked, clenching her hands around her spear. “This is the last time I’ll ask. Who are you?”

The elf crossed his arms in salute quickly before raising them high again. “My name is Leanthun. I was sent to gather information on the new [Hero]. I swear on the ancient trees of Citrand that I was only going to test your fighting prowess and abilities. I would not have left any injury to you or yours. My mistake was not fully investigating your party members. I thought the boy was a follower, not someone with functional skills.”

“This boy is the same age as the [Hero],” Orrin muttered but nobody was listening to him.

“I pledge that I will bring you no harm this day,” Leanthun continued. “May I approach?”

“Madi?” Daniel didn’t lower his sword, keeping it pointed at the elf.

“Elves value promises. If he says he won’t hurt us, he’s telling the truth about that.”

“For today only,” Orrin muttered, again being ignored. He’d read enough stories with supposed truth-tellers who could misdirect better with a few carefully crafted words than an elaborate lie. “He won’t hurt us today but once night falls…”

“What’s that, O?”

“He promised not to harm us ‘this day.’ That means as soon as it’s dark, he could attack.”

“Is what he says true?” Daniel called out to the elf who had taken a few steps in their direction. “You mean to attack us later?”

“I promise not to attack you unprovoked this day or tomorrow.”

“That still leaves the nighttime open,” Orrin half-shouted. “Promise to never attack us and stop walking forward.”

“I cannot promise to never attack you, for none of us know what the next day may bring. I will promise to not harm or cause harm to befall you until we reach the forest. Is that satisfactory?” Leanthun had moved to only thirty yards away and had his hands resting on his weapons in a non-threatening manner.

Orrin waited for Madi or Daniel to answer but when he looked at them, both were waiting for him to respond. “Seriously?” He turned back to the elf. “Accepted.”

Leanthun strode through the grass like a ghost, barely making the tall stalks shift. Orrin knew his dexterity had to be higher than anyone else they’d ever met just by the way he floated across the ground.

Once he parted the lower and sparser grass near the path, the lithe elf crossed his arms over his chest again and gave Madi a slight bow. He repeated the gesture to Daniel.

Turning to Orrin, Leanthun did his weird bow again, moving a little deeper than he had before. “I have to admit, I’m impressed you noticed me. I am not used to being caught unaware.”

Orrin ignored the compliment. He definitely did not blush at the words, no matter how hot his face was feeling. Instead, he decided that if Madi and Daniel were going to make him be in charge of talking with the elf, he’d do his best.

“Why do the elves want to test the [Hero]? And why send you?”

Leanthun smiled as if Orrin was a child playing war with veterans all around. “The advent of a [Hero] is always a turbulent time. With Odrana attacking our borders, some believed it prudent to assess the situation. I was sent to do the assessment Now if I may ask, who are you?”

“I’m Orrin. Daniel’s my friend. Madi over there is—”

“The scion of a lord of Dey. I know of Ms. Catanzano. Where did you learn the [Map] skill? I was under the impression you were used as a mule. Some sort of storage skill for carrying items, if I’m correct?”

Orrin gaped.

“Who are you calling a mule?” Daniel stepped in front of his friend angrily. “Orrin is a valued member of this team and offers more than –”

“Daniel shut up.” Orrin sputtered. He pulled his friend back. “So, you’ve been spying on us. If you know so much, why try and attack Madi?”

“I was going to incapacitate her only. Her [Shimmersight] ability could have interfered with my ability to spar with the [Hero].”

Madi’s hand glimmered as she spoke. “Who is your information broker? My skills are not supposed to be well-known.”

“That’s unimportant. I came with a job to do. While a true fight would have been preferable, perhaps a spar will still allow me some insight into your worth.”

“My worth?” Daniel’s knuckles turned on the hilt of Gertrude.

“Yes. My people would like to hire you to help repel the invaders in our home. Unless, of course, you were traveling to join Odrana. I would advise against that.” Leanthun’s words were an obvious threat but Orrin felt no actual violence coming from the elf.

He wasn’t sent to hire us. Something else is going on. What is he playing at?

“We were coming to offer our help but I have no problem kicking your ass all the way to the forest if that’s what you want,” Daniel said with much more malice than the elf’s words had. “Is there some proper and fancy method of fighting you have? Or can I just beat you into a pulp?”

“Just fight with me for a few minutes. You can simply say ‘out’ when you want to stop.”

“Daniel, can I have a word with you?” Madi gripped his sleeve.

“Take all the time you need to prepare.” Leanthun drew his curved sword and maul-on-a-stick weapon.

Madi dragged Daniel back.

“Are you insane? He’s just trying to get more information on your abilities. You don’t need to fight him.” Madi was berating him as Orrin joined. “Not to mention, he’s an elf. Not the young and dumb kind that get themselves captured as slaves in Dey. He’s at least three or four centuries old. Elves don’t earn their own Citrandish bow until they’re at least two hundred. He’s fighting with a khopesh, too. That’s an elite elven weapon. He’s royalty or a high-ranking military member. I’m not even sure what his other weapon is.”

“He insulted Orrin.”

Madi waited for Daniel to say more. He didn’t. She turned to Orrin for help.

“The dude is an ass. I do agree with Madi though. You shouldn’t let him know all your skills,” Orrin said. “What are you looking at me like that for?”

“You boys are such idiots.” Madi threw up her hands and stomped off.

“Should I boost you?” Orrin whispered. Daniel nodded. “Try to only use basic attacks, no skills. And don’t kill him.”

Daniel smirked. “You have no doubt I’m going to win, do you?”

Orrin shrugged. “If it looks like you are, I’ll slow him down, go invisible, and beat him silly.”

Daniel held up his fist. Orrin rapped his knuckles against his friend.

“Go kick some elf butt.”