Dethroned (Start of Book 4)
Getting back in the wagon, I take my mask back from John, transform into my cursed form and put it on as we leave. Ser Ulian’s barrette is still in my hair but it hangs a little lower since my hair has grown out during my transformation.
John (Current Rank D 10/40): “You okay?”
Rose (Current Rank D 5/40 License temporarily suspended): “No…”
Sher Aka (Current Rank C 6/40): “I’m sure you’ll meet again.”
Scarlet (Current Rank C 3/40): “If you want, we can also go home to Blaze, then you can invite her over.”
Rayla (Current Rank D 10/40): “Guys…Just give her some space, okay?”
John scoffs, “Aren’t you going to be the first one to bother her after you’re done with coach duty?”
“Only if she wants to.”
“Can you all shut up for a second!? Just leave it, I’m fine. I’m going to rest now. Scarlet, could you please?”
“Sure!”
Pressing down on my back I go back to my draconic form. The barrette is still laying on my head but not attached to anything so I gently shake it off and encircle it as I go to rest. It still smells of her…
“Gao…”
The day passes without problem. We manage to leave Old Kroy behind and get back to the outskirts where during the evening I sit outside looking at the stars while my pendant charges in the full moon light. The last time it was too cloudy but thankfully today it’s a clear night.
After a bit of stargazing John joins me and sits down next to me.
“Not today, John. Sorry.”
“It’s alright. Even if you don’t wanna talk about it, it's still better to look at the stars with a friend right?”
“I guess.”
“Also as your part time doctor, I have to tell you that skipping meals is not a good idea, even if you’re feeling down.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“...”
“Hey John.”
“Hmm?”
“When you were younger and had to leave Miranda behind, how did that feel?”
“Like someone ripped out a piece of my heart and left it there.”
“When did it get better?”
“About a month later. After that I still randomly remembered her from time to time though.”
“I see…Thanks John, I’m going to sleep now.”
Over the next few weeks of travel nothing of note happens. I tried to pick up the water ritual a few times but failed. Scarlet has been going hunting from time to time but otherwise nothing other than sitting around in the carriage happened besides us stopping at a small town once to resupply. It’s only once we get into the mountains that things start to get interesting again.
“Alright everyone! We should reach our quest location this afternoon. Let’s go over the battle plan one last time. Rose, you will be our eyes, your job is to tell us where the enemy is and pick off long distance threats. In case that it looks like we’ll get swarmed, use some of the arrows John enchanted for you.”
“Will do!”
“Scarlet, your job will be to stay near Rose and cover her. She doesn’t have eyes at the back of her head so you’ll be our rear guard.”
“Understood.”
“Sher Aka, you will cover our front while I pick off some of the stragglers quietly.”
“All right.”
“John, you will make sure that if we get swarmed and Rose can’t stop them you’ll apply crowd control with your new spells and focus on healing in case they get a cheap shot off.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Scarlet, if you can get a clear shot on the swarm when they’re tied up try to use your fire breath on them.”
“Allright!”
“Perfect. Let’s drive for another two hours then leave the wagon behind and walk the rest of the way. As for lunch, make sure to eat but not too much or you’ll be sluggish.”
Following the plan we do just that and after a few hours come upon the ruined village of Falkswreath. From our heightened position on top of a hill we’re able to get a good overview of the village. It’s on the smaller side with around a hundred houses but it’s completely overrun with dwarf sized rattes. They look similar to rats but they can move on both two and four legs. They are also intelligent enough to use tools as seen by the traps they set up. What is a bit concerning though is how many are currently walking around seeing as they are a nocturnal species. I can also see their leader from here, a so-called Rattes King. It’s about the size of Scarlet in her draconic form and is sleeping outside the grain silo, probably protecting its mate.
“Ane, I can get a clear shot on the King from here. If you want, I can probably kill both the King and Queen from here after I’ve done my rituals but that will probably alarm the entire pack.”
“How sure are you that you can get both of them from here?”
“Pretty sure.”
“Well, our job is to free this town, not to kill every single Rattes…Alright, do your rituals oko, then tell me how many of the normal ones are hiding. I’ll make my decision from there.”
“Alright.”
I dance my rituals and when I’m done take another look at the town.
“Hmm…It seems like there are about five Rattes in each house. But not all of them look fully grown.”
“Still…Let’s say there are three combat ready ones per house that’s still hundreds…Do you see anything else, oko?”
“There is one house that looks very suspicious.”
“How so?”
“It’s full of sparkly things. That means there are magical things in there.”
“Hmm…Are there any Rattes inside?”
“No, it seems empty.”
“Alright, change of plans. Rose, you take the shot at the King and Queen, then if it looks like any of the rattes try to enter the sparkly house hit them too. Everyone else, stay in formation but stay low. Let’s see if they find us, if they don’t we can slowly pick them off, one by one.”
Taking a deep breath I pull my bow, aim, then release. The arrow soaring through the sky impales the Rattes King’s neck and pins it to the wall with a loud bang. It seems to still struggle a bit but it quickly bleeds out. Taking my second arrow I wait for the Queen to investigate while the other rattes in close proximity to the King seem to wake up and look around. Now! Letting go of my second arrow, it too pierces the Queen but it seems like it wasn't a mortal wound as she loudly begins to scream while I shoot my third arrow at her, shutting her up.
“The King and Queen are dead.”
“Great job, oko! What about the magic house?”
“So far none of them seem to care about it.”
“Good, keep an eye on it for a bit longer just in case.”
We then wait for another five minutes while the rattes squirm around in a panic.
“It doesn't seem like they are interested in the house, ane.”
“Good. How many normal arrows do you have left?”
“Fourteen.”
“Alright, use those to shoot at some more strong looking ones but keep four arrows.”
“Okay.”
Using my arrows I shoot at the crowd killing six and injuring four.
“I’m done, ane.”
“Good, how much longer can you keep up your rituals?”
“Probably half an hour.”
“Perfect, let’s go down now. Stay in formation, John you prepare your crowd control, oko you do the same.”
“Gotcha.”
“Okay.”