Chapter 11

Rayne sat with her back against a lone oak tree, watching the Elf Warriors make-shift temporary huts to reside in on the outskirts of Barboulder. Their will mounts strayed as close as they dared. She felt the tight tension as some of the Dwarves took it upon themselves to stand guard around the little town, brandishing their axes and maces. It had only been an hour or so since she stormed off on Gideon and she mentally chewed herself out for her display of temperament. She degraded herself for letting a simple man get under her skin like that. She tilted her head back until it rested against the trunk, the autumn sun warming her face. Mel-Darion had followed her back to gather the Warriors and set up camp while devising a plan against Ravnyk's forces, all the while keeping his face as expressionless as possible. She must've looked so childish to him.

Footsteps crunched as they approached her, drawing her attention to the Barboulder leader, a smug look upon her face. Rayne glanced away from her, attempting to focus on the future battle. Valuable stopped beside her, her hands on her hips as she surveyed her new neighbors.

"This was all your doin'?" she asked. Rayne didn't give her a response, "You must be somethin' if you can manage an ass load of men this way." she tried to compliment, but a heavy sigh escaped Rayne's lips before she could contain it.

"I just want to kill the man that's behind all of this and be on my way." Rayne grumbled as she rose to her feet, brushing grass and dirt off of her cloak. Valka spit at the ground, her face a twist of disgust.

"Aye, that's normally how it goes, don't it? Leave it to the man to start wars." she adjusted the straps on her vest, "If what ye say is true, and this Dark Lord that everyone is whisperin' about does come our way, I hope you still live at the end of it." Valka clicked her tongue before walking off. Rayne watched after her as Valka is rejoined by a small group of uneasy civilians, questioning her decision to keep the Elves so close by. She understood their discomfort, she didn't enjoy such a large gathering either. Rayne missed the peaceful solo rides through the country, the feeling of being content when she was alone.

Gideon's face flickered through her mind, causing her to spin around and punch the tree she had been sitting against. She was beginning to hate how he affected her, always coming to mind. She took quite a few lovers before, but none compared to his devotion to her, and his compassion for the innocent. The familiar pressure kissed the back of her neck, freezing her in place. It pulsed on her nerves, sending tingles along her body until it settled in her fingertips.

Hate.

The distorted voice hissed in her head. She gritted her teeth against the force in her body, but it was stronger than before. A hand grabbed her shoulder, gently turning her around to face Mel-Darion. His once expressionless face was replaced with a slightly wrinkled forehead with dipped brows and the corners of his lips turned downward.

"What is troubling you, Rayne?" he asked with a hint of concern in his tone. She rubbed her knuckles, feeling the tenderness after punching the tree.

"I'm at a loss, Mel." she ran her fingers over the bark slowly, watching a few ants dip between the crevices, "What if this wasn't his true destination? What if he went straight at the Dwarf King instead?" she listed off her questions, getting more and more restless as she did. He reached out cautiously and placed a hand on her shoulder. She inhaled deeply before letting it out slowly.

"That path is the only way into the Dwarven Kingdom. Unless Ravnyk has aerial reinforcements, we will not miss him coming through here." he squeezed her shoulder gently before releasing it, his eyes roaming over the Warriors that had followed him here, "We are all worried that this may have been for nothing, but perhaps it is better to be safe than sorry."

"Maybe you're right. We should station a few scouts in the path then. Alert us when they spot the first row of Ravnyk's forces coming through." Rayne pointed toward the path that settled between the two rising mountain peaks. Mel-Darion slowly nodded.

"I agree." he said as they began to walk toward the small army. Each Elf they passed bowed their heads in respect to their Prince. Large tents formed around them as everyone started to set up camp. Mel-Darion escorted Rayne to a larger tent that was placed closer to the center of this group, hide of various beast species decorated the exterior of the tent. A guard pulled open a cloth curtain for them, revealing a surprisingly large space interior with a lavish bedding tucked off to one side while a table sat just off center, a map displayed on it. Mel-Darion leaned over the map, studying it carefully while Rayne stood opposite of him.

"We need to go through our options before settling on any type of plan." she ran her finger through the path they had recently taken through the mountain, "This is technically the only way in, but we have no idea if this is the route they may choose. If they decide on an aerial infiltration, we'll need a few eyes on the sky as well." she trailed her finger along the mountain range slowly, "How many of your Warriors can cast magic?" she looked up at him, now realizing how close their faces were. His fingers tapped on the map in a gentle rhythm.

"A handful are spell casters, but not similar to Xerath or that woman back at the temple. They are more attuned with nature." his eyes lift up to hers, "Is there a spell you have in mind?" he asked her. Rayne inclined her head as she stroked her chin with her thumb and finger.

"A spell that could possible detect magic. The only other option they could have in arriving in this area is by magic. It'll be quick and easy, and I'm sure that Ravnyk is powerful enough to cast such a spell on a very large group." she sighs, brushing her fingers through her hair as she sits up straighter. Mel-Darion nods slowly in understanding.

"I understand, I will get my people together and split them up." he told her as he adjusted his armor. She watched him leave through the flap before placing her gaze back on the map. Out of the corner of her eye, the ink shifted, drawing her attention toward the Dwarven castle deeper into the Kingdom. The ink thickened into a pool of black liquid on the map, staining the terrain it covered. The liquid began to bubble and burst as thin, black tendrils slithered from the depths of the ink, spreading throughout the map until it was covered completely. Rayne continued to stare as the tendrils shifted and rose up from the black parchment, reaching out to her. She took a step back as they wrapped around the legs of the table, eating away until it was consumed in the darkness. Incoherent whispers hissed from the ink, beckoning to her.

"Rayne!" a voice shouted and a hand grasped her arm tightly. She spun around to face Mel-Darion having returned back to the tent, his eyes wide as they scanned her face. She looked away from him only to see that the map was perfectly normal once again. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in, looking around the space, but finding to evidence of what just occurred.

"What?" she asked in frustration, yanking her arm free of his grip. His eyes hardened on her, and she forced her eyes away from him as she stepped away.

"Valka wants to speak with you." he told her, his expression never changing. She nodded quickly, giving the map one last glance before walking past him to leave. Mel-Darion watched as she disappeared through the flap of his tent and looked around the living quarters. He felt something sinister just moments before getting back there, but it was gone the moment he stepped back inside. The only thing he could see was Rayne's pale face, her eyes wide with horror as she gazed upon the table. It was something he'd never seen on her face before which alarmed him even further. As much as he didn't want to, he needed to speak with the knight and discuss what he felt and witnessed.

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Gideon groaned, rubbing his temples as the headache waged a war within his skull. He had awoken on the bench in Valka's home with little memory of what transpired prior to his blacking out. He knew there were drinks involved as the stale taste lingered on his tongue. A contest of sorts was made, but he couldn't recall who the winner was. What he knew for sure though was that Rayne wasn't at all too pleased with his behavior, and that stuck more than anything. Yet here he was, trying to soothe away the pounding in his head while Valka tapped her foot a bit noisily before him.

"How long do ye plan on sittin' around for?" she questioned him loudly. He gritted his teeth, glaring at the damned woman before him.

"How long was I out for?" he asked as he grabbed his water skin, nearly draining it dry after the first drink. Valka continued to tap her foot.

"Too long. You snore like a damned mountain lion. Now get." she started to shoo him away from the bench. At first he didn't budge, but with her consistent nagging, he finally got to his feet and made his way outside. The sun had started to set, casting shadows across the dirt pathways. The people continued to buzz along with their business as if a small Elvish army had not made themselves their most recent neighbors. He rubbed his temples as he struggled to recall the route he had taken to reach Valka's home when he spotted a familiar Elf fast approaching him with a disgruntled look on his sharp features.

"It is about time you awoke. We have a problematic situation." he lowered his voice once he was within range, glancing around suspiciously. Gideon groaned softly, and Mel-Darion looked the man over with annoyance, rolling his eyes a bit, "Humans and their lack of constitution." he mumbled as he reached out before Gideon could stop him, placing his thumbs on his temples and his fingers along the sides of his head. Warmth seeped from Mel-Darion's fingertips, soothing Gideon's head in light pulses until the throbbing slowly went away. Gideon blinked a few times as he tried to register what the Prince just did to him as he pulled his hands away.

"What did you cast on me?" Gideon questioned him curiously, feeling around his head to be sure nothing was amiss.

"A simple spell to get your head back in order. Are you ready to listen now?" Mel-Darion asked him impatiently. Gideon cocked his head slightly as he eyed the Elf.

"Go on then." Gideon told him as they began their walk back to their own camp. He ignored the following eyes as they walked along, muting out the murmuring as they did.

"It is about Rayne. I know she has been acting a bit strangely as of late, but I believe something is tampering with her mental state of mind." Mel-Darion raised his chin was he bypassed a small group of Dwarves. They glared as they on passed. Gideon side eyed the Elf, knowing full well what he meant.

"We believe something or someone is trying to contact her. However, I don't believe it is a friendly in nature with how it is effecting Rayne." Gideon informed him, reaching the outskirts to the small town. Two guards were at the post as they strolled by, their axes branded and ready to swing, but the men ignored them. They would not be their enemies today. Mel-Darion slowly nodded in understanding.

"That would explain the behavior I had witnessed earlier then." he said, drawing Gideon's full attention now, "I saw Rayne punch a tree in what I assumed was frustration, however, knowing her temperament, I disregarded it." they reached the outlining of their camp where the mounts were roaming freely, but not straying too far from their masters.

"I'm sure I was supposed to receive that punch. Anything else?" Gideon asked him.

"We were discussing possible invasion options Ravnyk and his men would choose from. I left her alone to go over the orders with a few scouts, and when I returned back to the tent," Mel-Darion paused for a moment, a troubled look crossing his face, "she looked deathly pale, and she was eyeing the table like it was a diseased creature." Mel-Darion stopped their walk and faced Gideon head on, "You may be right, whatever this being may be, it is not of a lawful alignment. We need to tread carefully." Gideon nodded in agreement, but that was going to be easier said than done. This deity or monster was possibly corrupting Rayne's mind. How long will it take before she finally snaps?

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Rayne tossed and turned on her bedroll, the chilled night air rose goosebumps along her arms. With an army of Warriors around her, it was eerily quiet. She couldn't even hear the beasts they had brought along anymore. She strained to listen, even for a whisper, but there was nothing.

She sat up, grabbing her cloak to wrap around herself and stepped out of her tent. In her surprise, she was alone. The army she had traveled with, Mel-Darion and Gideon, they were all gone. In the distance she can see the small town of Barboulder, dimly lit in a few areas, but otherwise sound asleep.

"Gideon?" she called out into the night, but there was no reply. She turned around to grab her sword, but her tent had disappeared. "This has to be a dream." she mumbled to herself as she started the way toward Barboulder. Upon approaching the outskirts, the patrols were missing. She called out for a guard, for Valka, for anyone that may be awake in the town, but received no response. She kept her guard up as she continued deeper into the small town, wondering why everyone was missing when a shadow flickered out of place by one of the shops. She hid behind a wall of a house as she watched a Dwarf woman slipped out into the road and walk further into the town. As quietly as she could, she followed the woman. She couldn't make out her features very well in the dim light of the torches when the woman suddenly stopped in front of Valka's home. She peered around before heading inside.

Rayne stepped up to the not so tattered curtain that was hanging their originally, peering inside, but only met with darkness. Just as Rayne questioned herself about grabbing a torch from nearby, the hissing rang in her ears, and the pressure throbbed in the back of her head. Her eyes lowered to the ground at her feet as her own shadow began to warp and shift before moving into the darkness of Valka's home. The curtain pulled back slightly as if the shadow was holding it open for her. Against her better judgement, Rayne moved in with it. Her eyes very slowly adjusted to the darkness that greeted her, spotting the faint outline of the cushioned bench she had sat upon hours ago. There was a rustling coming from upstairs and Rayne felt her legs getting pulled toward it. Barely managing to bypass the furniture without bumping into any, she scaled the stairs stealthily until she was face to face with a wooden door. Her eyes casted down where she noticed a flickering light coming from within, and the shifting of feet along with it.

She inhaled a deep breath, holding it as she grabbed the doorknob, twisting it ever so slowly and pushed. The door creaked. She stopped, her heart hammering away in her chest. She felt like she was on a heist quest all over again. When she didn't hear anything, she propped the door open a little bit more until she was finally able to glimpse inside. The flickering light was from a candle placed on a bedside table. The bed was small with furs piled on top of it. As she scanned the room, she finally noticed the Dwarven woman standing in front of a bookshelf and something in her hands. Rayne was finally able to notice closely by the red hair and the familiar ax that sat propped beside the bed was Valka. With her back still to her, she stepped into the room and approached the woman cautiously. She didn't budge from her position. Rayne peered over her shoulder, spotting a thin, obsidian box that seemed closer to a jewelry box in Valka's hands. Valka opened the lid slowly, revealing a thin scroll rolled up inside. The hissing in Rayne's ears intensified as she gazed upon the scroll with interest and mild fear. Something about it was familiar. It was sinister and it called out to her.

Rayne. Be my Champion.