Chapter 6: Night Raid

John stood eyes growing wide as the guard fell limply. He looked at Bugsy, who had disappeared; the door to his house stood open.

"John, he called out. "Go around to the back of the house and get in the large storage chest. I don't know who is attacking, but I need to find Rayne."

John didn't move to comply with the older man's instructions. His face screwed up with indecision as he looked back and forth from the open door to the battlement that was now infested with giant bats. Bugsy came back through the door, fully adorned in battle attire. He wore a thick leather vest with segmented plates of thin grey steel riveted into the leather. A large hood came up from the collar line, the plating on the hood was more sparse, but it still looked as if it offered a decent protection to the wearer's head. On his right arm was a steel-plated leather sleeve glowing with green runes. The sleeve was strapped tightly across his forearm and bicep while also being hooked into the shoulder of the vest piece. His left arm bore no armor besides a leather glove that griped a short round-head ball mace. His legs were adorned with similar plated sleeves that strapped around the inseam. The knees and elbows of the armor were both lacking steel, but rather, the first plate below the joint flared outward and then up, allowing for easy movement. Completing the look was a pair of metal sabatons similar to those he had seen Captain Keller wearing.

"John, the storage chest," he repeated. John quickly ceased his inspection of the armor and fervently shook his head.

"No way am I hiding. If this is going to be my home, I'll protect it as well. Or, at the very least, ill help to find Rayne. She saved my life, and I owe her. I owe you both."

Bugsy sighed resignedly, "That's a terrible idea. You have no levels, no skills, and your attributes are that of your base race." Pausing in thought, he continued, "I can't stop you, John; if you're willing to help, so be it. Run to the blacksmith's and find yourself a weapon we'll settle up with Jorgen later. Run up this bridge and then the next one on your right." Bugsy pointed to the bridge he and Rayne had come down to reach the house. "Once you're on the platform, look for a large sign embossed with an anvil. You can't miss it. Jorgen always leaves the back door unlocked, so that's how you'll get in. Hurry, John, I don't want you out on your own for too long, but Rayne takes priority here; I'm sorry." The armored healer turned to leave.

"Wait," John said. "How will I find you?"

"Once you have a weapon, take the bridge by the tailors. Straight across the platform with the Valorwoods, they are the bronze-looking trees; the next bridge will lead you to the tavern. Now go." He said as he began to run across one of the rope bridges, it shook perilously, but Bugsy never lost his footing.

John watched Bugsy for a moment longer and then turned to the bridge that had been pointed out to him. He suddenly felt small as the sounds of weapons clashing started up. Furrowing his brow and slapping the sides of his face gently, he ran towards the bridge. His bare feet caught the boards of the rope bridge. Stumbling as the bridge sank, recoiling under his weight, John elongated his stride, trying to keep his pace. The bridge roiled and swung wildly.

"How in the hell did Bugsy run across these damn things so easily?" He asked as the bridge shook him like a leaf in the wind.

His eyes widened as his feet unwillingly left the safety of the bridge. Throwing his arms out, he grabbed the hand ropes to either side and let the bridge settle. More slowly, this time, he began to move forward. As he neared the end of the bridge, one of the bats that had been swarming the battlement flew sharply overhead. It hovered in front of him, silently flapping its massive wings. John saw that it carried a rider sitting on the base of its neck and gripping the bat's large bristled mane. The woman wore dark leathers that matched her nearly coal black skin, a pair of sharp and long elf-ears pointed out of her white hair.

John had never been into tabletop role-playing games, but he was drug into playing the occasional game by his older brother. This, however, was a race he recognized immediately. "Drow," He whispered, heart sinking, as the woman gave him a feral smile. She leaned off the side of the bat and cut one of the ropes with a long serrated blade. John stumbled at the slight shake of the bridge; he began to think.

How can I get out of this? Distraction? I wonder if she… Hold on. The bridge, I can use the bridge.

Remembering a video he had once watched on the internet, he jumped.

"You will die today, elf," the drow woman spat.

Did she just call me an elf?

He smirked to himself and jumped, pushing all of his weight down into the three remaining ropes that supported the bridge.

"You are all alone here with no warriors to save you."

The bridge rose and fell, and John jumped.

This is a bad plan. John thought as he internally laughed at himself.

The bridge bowed under his weight and started to rise in a high arc; he jumped, pushing down harder. All the while, the woman cackled and taunted John; he jumped, the wind whipping past as he rose and fell.

Finally, the woman paused to tell John how his family would never find him, her eyes widening as the roiling bridge brought John up to eye level with her. It was John's turn to grin. Realizing something was wrong, the drow carved through the other hand rope, but his plan had already bore fruit. He sprinted forward along the bridge as it surged upwards once again.

Captain Keller had just cleared the shop district of drow, and he sighed deeply, dabbing at his brow with a handkerchief, when he heard another of the crazy white-haired attackers screaming about how someone would die. He ran to the platform's edge and gawked at the man on the bridge. The man was bouncing the bridge so hard that the districts it connected to were slightly swaying as well. The Bat-rider's insane ramblings seemed to be cut short as the man began to run along the bridge. He rode the arcing bridge up and launched himself at the woman on the bat. Aided by the momentum of the bridge, the man flew far forward, far faster than what should have usually been possible without a movement skill. Keller's eyes widened as the man collided with the rider tearing her from her perch and taking her with him to the platform nearly fifteen feet away. Keller immediately ran toward the bridge that would lead him to where the two had landed in a tangle of limbs.

John and the drow hit the platform with a loud crack; he rolled several times and stood unsteadily. He turned to see the woman already on her feet as well. One of her arms was bent backward at an awful angle; she favored her right leg as she walked forward, pointing the wicked blade at him. The platform he stood on was lined with houses, and the narrow street where the pair had landed didn't bring him any confidence. He quickly looked around for anyone to assist him, but he found no one.

"I will kill you, elf," the drow screamed.

John raised his hands, "I'm not an elf, lady."

She growled and lunged forward, swinging her sword. John jumped to the side, trying to stay out of the woman's way. Her sword thunked into the wood of the platform, and she ripped it up with a spray of splinters. John locked eyes with the hate-filled eyes of the woman as she leveled the tip of her sword at his chest. The blade flashed with a red aura and flashed forward; it seemed to carry the woman with it as it carved through the meat of his shoulder. He staggered backward, any thought of fighting fleeing his mind. Clamping his hand over the wound, he bit his lip and turned to run from the insane woman. Captain Keller appeared before him, seeming to flow past as his shield intercepted a blow aimed at John's back. The Drow danced backward upon seeing the new arrival, holding her sword defensively.

"That was a hell of a show, kid," Keller said as he walked between John and the woman. "I heard ya' want to kill my acrobatic friend there, I'm sorry, but I can't allow that."

"You filthy elves will all die here today," the woman said as blood leaked from her mouth.

"Maybe," Keller replied. "But not by your blade." He raised the large tower shield he held in front of himself and promptly launched himself toward the woman. Faster than John had seen anyone move, Keller had crossed the gap and hammered the woman right over the bridge of her nose with the edge of his shield. She fell to the platform unconscious, skull partially caved in. Keller stood over her and drove his blade through her eye; he turned away from the now-dead drow with a slight frown. John stared blankly at the lifeless body before him; blood leaked from the wound she had taken, it rolled down her cheek, a line of bloody tears. His mouth dried as he looked from Keller to the corpse and back. John had never seen a person die before, and the way that Keller had so causally ended this woman's life scared him. John unconsciously took a step back as Keller spoke.

"First-time seein', it is always hard. First-time doing it will change you. Just never become numb to it, and you'll be alright."

Keller patted him on the shoulder as he walked past.

"C'mon, kid, let's get you somewhere safe."

What am I doing? I didn't even make it to the blacksmith's before I had to be saved. Why am I so useless? No. Stop it, John. Fuck, John, you can unpack your feelings later. Do what you can. The only friends you have in this world are in possible danger.

"W-weapon," John stammered, his eyes hardening. He had things to do, and he wouldn't let fear control him any longer. This world was hard, far harder than his own, so he would have to become hardened himself.

"What?" Keller asked, turning back to him.

"I need a weapon; I was going to the blacksmith's to get one." He turned towards the shopping district.

"I don't think that's such a…"

"No," John snapped, glaring at Keller over his shoulder. "I told Bugsy I'd help. I'm done being useless. I'm going to steal a sword and find Bugsy and Rayne."

Keller Laughed. "I like the fire in your eyes, kid. Take my spare. He tossed a short sword that had been sheathed on his back toward John. The blade clattered to the ground as he hopped backward. Keller made an odd face at him and said, "We'll have to work on that part. How's your arm?"

"It's serviceable," John replied, repeating a line he had once heard on television. He picked up the discarded weapon and gave it a test swing. Truly the cut was rather deep, and John struggled with the sword, but he had just resolved himself to make a difference. He grit his teeth, rolled his shoulders, and looked at Keller.

"I'm ready; please take me to the tavern."

"Alright," Keller said, turning and leading the way.

The run was brief; the duo passed through the small patch of Valorwood trees and the multiple guards engaged in fights there. The single guard fighting a two-on-one battle quickly found his second opponent with a knife in its chest. John had seen Keller throw the blade in one motion straight from the bandolier along this thigh. He noted that the captain's stride hadn't faltered even slightly as he offered assistance to his subordinate. Just as they were about to take the last bridge toward the tavern, a loud thunk sounded across the town. It seemed to echo off the metal walls of the cargo hold—another thunk followed by the sound of cracking. Keller ran to the edge of the Valorwood platform holding the safety rails and looking out where the gate was attached to the side of the massive chamber. John followed and immediately recognized something was wrong. The guards who should have been manning the battlement and protecting the gate lay dead, strewn about the platform. Suddenly the gate exploded inward, sending splinters and iron shrapnel into the air. The massive beast that walked through the gate looked as if it had crawled out of a Lovecraft Novel, A rhinoceros hide stretched taught over a gorilla-like frame. Thick bone plating covered its joints, and its rounded head contained two beady black eyes. The creature's head was framed by two frills that shook as it opened its maw from hell and emitted an undulating roar. John looked to where Keller was standing; his face was a blank mask.

"Come on, John, let's go find your friends," Keller said, as he turned from the scene. Besides, I'm gonna need all the help I can get taking that thing down."

The pair began to run again, and John asked through heavy breaths. "Hey, where is everyone? I only see guards, and everyone should be helping."

"There aren't many combat specialists around Valorwood; many of the people are down under the town in the stronghold. Twelve guards and fifteen or so of the strongest people in town should also be down there. I suspect that maybe twenty-five of my guards remain above; Bugsy, Rayne, Adam, and Melfar should also be up here."

John nodded to himself as they labored across the bridge.

"I see Bugsy and Rayne ahead; it looks like Bugsy is attending to Adam's wounds."

John's heart swelled at hearing that Bugsy and Rayna were alive. He followed Keller off the bridge with renewed vigor. Passing the man by, he ran to Bugsy, Rayna, and the now uninjured man he assumed to be Adam. Bugsy smiled at John and nodded his head.

Rayne embraced him, causing the gash in his shoulder to flare in pain. He recoiled slightly but accepted the hug. She whispered into his ear worriedly.

"What are you doing out here? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"No, I just wanted to help," John replied.

"Alright," Keller announced, ending their brief conversation. "We have an issue. The Drow have broken through the gate with some kind of monster. It's relatively large, and I fear our average guardsmen will be useless. Bugsy, Rayne, Adam, I'll need your help if you're willing."

The three nodded, and Keller turned to John. "Kid, you put a hell of a show on earlier, but you had best stay out of this one. I don't know your level or abilities, you've got grit, but I know these three well, and I can control the fight more efficiently without adding an unknown element to the mix. John raised his hand to stop Keller.

"I'm confused that thing had to weigh as much as a house. There's no way that thing is getting across those bridges."

Kellers eye's widened, "Now, why'd ya have to go and say that?

As if on cue, another roar echoed across the walls; the entire group turned to where the sound had emanated from. They watched as the monster jumped from the gate platform. It hung in the air for a brief, terrifying moment, then landed, crushing a pair of houses across from the tavern. The whole platform shook and swayed; two rope bridges snapped and fell away under the immense pressure of the swinging platform. All four of the elves looked back at John, their brows furrowed.

"Shit, sorry," John said.

The five of them stood there, all looking back at the beast. A brief moment of silence hung in the air. The monster roared, spittle flying from its maw; his companions burst into a flurry of motion. A spectral bow appeared in Rayne's hand; she drew and fired a ghostly yellow arrow straight up into the air. It split and multiplied; the non-corporeal arrows changed as they arced back down, becoming tangible and crackling with electricity. The Shower of arrows rained down onto the beast as it lumbered forward; some sank into the dried cracks of its thick hide while others bounced off ineffectually. John ran to the tavern's porch, willing to stay out of the fight at the guard captain's request. Keller shouted something, and Adam ran to meet the beast's charge. The monster planted one fist onto the platform and delivered a low sweeping hook that contained enough force to turn a person to paste. The monster's fist was large enough to hit all four loosely assembled elves. To Adam's credit, he didn't hesitate and launched a wild haymaker at the incoming fist. A line of red runes lit up on Adam's arm as man and beast clashed. Shockwave blasted out as Adam's arm exploded into a spray of blood and bone fragments was immense. The man was thrown back through the tavern wall with a crash. Bugsy, who had seemed to be charging some kind of spell, immediately stopped his chant and ran for the tavern. He shot John a worried look as he passed through the hole and disappeared within. John ground his hand on the pommel of his sword as he watched Rayne dance around the beast, lines of yellow firing from her bow. Keller had somehow gotten on the beast's shoulder nearly eighteen feet up. He drove his short sword into a slit behind the frills, causing the monster to flail wildly. It stepped back heavily, clipping Rayne; she careened away, hitting the platform's railing. Red flooded John's vision as he ran to where Rayne lay. She was still; he slid to her on his knees, dropping his shortsword.

"Rayne!" He shouted, gently shaking her shoulder.

"Rayne!" He shouted again. Her eyes snapped open, and she sat up, pressing a palm into her forehead.

"Come on, get up; it's not safe here. We need to move." She looked up at him in confusion. Her eyes traveled farther and grew wide. Her hands gripped tightly to his shirt and began to pull. Realizing something was wrong, John lunged forward, pushing Rayne down to avoid any attacks the monster behind him might have been throwing. A massive hand closed around his legs, and they were immediately crushed in the monster's grip. His hands clawed at the boards trying to reach his discarded sword as he screamed in pain. He was lifted from the ground and tossed up into the air. As he spun, failing his arms, he saw Rayne, spectral bow rematerializing in her hand. He saw Bugsy and Adam running out from the hole in the tavern wall. John searched for the monster; what he found was a gaping maw, dozens of sharp jagged rushing up to meet him. He met Keller's eyes as the man still hacked into the monster's flesh. The man looked away as sharp teeth closed around John's midsection. The scream that fled his lips was quickly followed by blood and bile and he was cut in two. Tears streamed from his eyes as he gulped for air choking on his blood. He saw Rayne; She hit her knees; tears carving away the dust that covered her face.

I wish I could have been stronger. I wish I could have been friends with these people.

His thoughts slowly faded as the pain consumed his mind.

Rayne screamed as she watched the monster open its mouth again, letting John's upper body fall further into its mouth. The gargled screams of pain and terror that came from John drowned out all other noise. The four Elves watched with grim expressions as the shrieking was suddenly silenced. A spray of blood and strips of flesh seeped from the monster's mouth. The four elves attacked with renewed vigor screaming their hatred at the beast who had taken their unlikely ally.