ARTHODON AND THE FOUR DRAGONS

CHAPTER 6: THE NARROW PASS

All the troops who scattered in every direction for the search around the Temple came back. The group who saw and encountered those they considered fugitives report to the Kings and to the Head Seer what happened to their mission.

“Captain, I heard it is only the human whom you captured and took into prison” the Head Seer stated.

“Yes, it is true Head Master” said the Captain who feels regretful and annoyed at the same time for they failed the mission.

“So tell us how did she escaped and what happened to her and her child?” King Jeron requested with urgency and irritation.

“Yes, My King” the captain said in a low voice that if you not attentive enough you will not be able to hear his muttered words.

******

“Brother, I heard they were captured”  Klera spoke in a soft voice as soon as she reach the dungeon where Dani is held prison.

“It’s only Dani” Kardin said, the guard brother of Klera, “On the left, on the third cell” he continued, bending his head to point his sister to enter.

“Thank you!” she said.

“Be quick, I just ask some errand to the warden for you to have time to talk to him. He’ll be back soon” he bite his lower lip and scout his eyes around to see if someone’s looking. She nodded and enters the inner dungeon.

Dani heard footsteps and sit up from lying down and the walk towards her using his knees. “Klera?” he said, holding on the bars.

“Dani, what happened? Where’s Clanis and your child?” questions that first came out of Klera’s mouth then slowly kneeled down in front of him.

“I don’t know either” Dani said in confusion. His appearance is so dirty and noticeable the stained of blood and soiled wounds on his body. He absolutely had been through a lot, especially losing his wife and only child. His eyes were red obviously cried plenty of tears.

“What do you mean you don’t know?” she asked again for clarification. But Dani utters no words. He can’t, he don’t want to think what might happened to his lovely wife and helpless baby.

“I know, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have asked” she said in compassion but she can’t do anything. Let’s just pray they are safe. “Be strong, Dani. I know she will be safe somewhere and will try all that she could to live and survive so must also” she said and stoop up from kneeling down. As she turns her back to leave the prison, Dani open his mouth and recounts the events that happened prior to his arrest.

“As soon as we saw the troops looking for us, we immediately run and hide. We don’t know where to go. We don’t know where to hide. Until the guard riding on prieus saw us and located us. We hide on a huge and tall stone with high grass everywhere at the hill near the wide river” he paused, thinking, Klera still listens and then he continued, “ I let them hide. I run away opposite the place where they hide to make a distraction carrying a fake baby. The guards chase me and got me and held me captured. The next thing I know I was imprisoned here. I.. I don’t know what happened to my family. I don’t know! I don’t know” Dani cried and act hysterically and insanely.

“Klera, you must go” said my brother from the entrance of the dungeon.

“Dani, listen, I have to go now and I will do what I can do to help. But first, you need to calm. You need to stay alive if you want to see your family again. Beg for the Kings’ mercy and admit your offense, this is the only thing I can think of to lower your penalty” she explained with broken voice.

“Klera!” Kardin shout in a whisper-like voice.

“They will ask you who helped you escape. Promise me, you won’t tell a word about us. It is important that you have us as your eyes and ears what happens outside the Encanta. Promise me” Klera said while slowly stepping back. Dani still crying. As she walks away, Dani look at her and nod softly, giving her an answer which she didn’t see.

******

Captain’s Memory:

“Captain! Captain!” the guard’s voice will be heard as he unties the unconscious leader and the guard from the tree. “Captain, wake up” he continued as he tap them in the face to get in their sense again.

Few moments later, they regain their consciousness and look around, confused and with ache.

“Captain, are you alright? What happened here?” said the guard with the prieus that helped them.

“Where’s the human?” asked the captain without answering any of the guard’s questions while standing up.

“We captured him and the baby he was carrying was just a decoy. He’s with Fin and Delin. They are now headed back to the temple.” The guard reported.

“Captain, may I ask again, what ha..” said the guard persistently . “Ogres” interrupted by the other guard who was with the captain that experienced the incident.

The guard nodded with a wide eyes and slightly open mouth because of what he heard.

“We were attacked by three ogres, killed our wolf and took it and also our weapons. We are lucky they did not kill us” said the captain in summary but it is clear in his mind every detail of what took place here at the cliff.

One of the ogres throws a spear and directly hit the wolf in the neck and died immediately. They were surrounded and outnumbered by them. The captain and the guard ready themselves to fight back. All of the ogres drew their long curve cimeters and run towards the captain and his comrade. The two temple soldiers drew their sword, back to back and then dash to attack. The captain sways his sword to slit the ogre’s neck but the ogre slide, bent his back, face upward and swings his cimeter to cut the captain’s torso but it didn’t pierce him because of the metal armor.

Immediately, the captain turns around to safe guard his blind spot and dash toward the opponent again. The ogre pulled out the spear from the wolf’s body near him and straight his arm to pierce the running captain. But the captain strongly slashes the spear into two in just one swing.

Meanwhile, the other guard fight the other ogre with sword-like battle of champions. He cut the ogre’s skin on the left arm. And the guard, unknowingly, would have been stabbed by the other ogre but the captain throws a dagger to the third ogre that pierce him to its back at the right shoulder.

At the side of his eye, the captain saw his main opponent attack him by the broken spear but again he s***h it. Then the ogre swings his cimeter by his left arm to the captain’s face but he evaded it.

Clanis grab this opportunity to run away but in just a few steps she was grabbed by the ogre who has stabbed on the shoulder. Then the ogre throttles her using his arm and the other hand holding the dagger pointing at her neck.

“Stop!” the ogre holding her said, “Or I will kill this elf and her child” every one stop.

The captain laughs and said “Do it. Kill her” then smirked.

The ogres look confounded and then the captain continue to explain “She’s a prisoner. If you want to ki..” the ogre next to him punch him at the back of his neck and fall to the ground. At the sight of it, the other guard would have attacked but he was also hit at the back that causes him to fall into unconsciousness.

“What?” said the ogre that made the captain sleep when he saw his friend looking at him annoyed.

“So what are going to do with this girl?” said the ogre that held Clanis’ hand together by using only his palm with her baby on a cloth-bag tied on her torso.

“Get all that can be used and this for dinner” said the ogre that seems the leader of the hunt, pointing to the dead wolf. “Tie them to the trees” he ordered.

“Aahh! We will not kill them? I was injured by these idiots” complained by the one with wound on his back; while the third one tied the two soldiers to the near tree.

The leader looks at him badly, like the don’t-act-like-s**t-and-just-do-it stare while carrying the dead beast and said “And take her”.

******

“Clanis with her daughter might either jumped off the gorge or captured and be killed by the ogres” explained by the captain in front of the four Kings of Arthodon and of Gorin.

“Meaning you are not sure if the elf and her child are dead or alive?” said King Jeron in a loud and angry voice, widening his round eyes and thump the handle seat.

“Yes your highness” answered the captain, clenching his fist in fear and humiliation.

“Have you forgotten what we said?” King Jeron continues to berate the captain together with the other soldier beside him. No one from the soldiers dare to open their mouth of look to the King’s eyes.

“King Jeron calm down. Nothing can be solved by rage” King Euri mediated.

“How can we calm down? We know that as long as that half-breed child is alive, Darkness will follow Arthodon” the king of the east exclaimed, looking at the dwarf king.

“We just need to make sure of any possibilities” king Ramiro said.

“Alright! Whoever those ogres, we need to find their camp” King Alfiro finally opened his mouth

“What if she jumped off the gorge?” King Ramiro asked which look like he already knows the answer.

“Then we need to find her their bodies” king Jeron said with fierce eyes looking in the air then look to the soldiers

“Your Majesty, If that so, her body can be shattered. It is nearly impossible to do” the captain complained. Then King Jeron looked at him more intently and with menace but the captain still continued his talk, “My King that river leads to the Narrow Pass, its…”

“It is one of the most dangerous places in Arthodon. It is where most Giants dwell and dominate” said King Euri

“No one must go and be near to that horrible place” the captain explained.