Things are not as they seem

We ran through the cemetery. Marc thought about casting a light spell, but Saul said we'd be spotted. Saul and Anna guided us as best as they could for those of us who could not see in the infrared spectrum (it must be nice to be elves), but it was still slow going. After a while, my eyes adjusted and I could see better in the moonlight created by the two full moons.

"We have to hurry!" The young man, Jon, stayed ahead of us as we made our way through the forest. I didn't know who he was our how he knew Marc. My guess was that he might have trained under Marc, since he called him "Master Marcus." That meant he was an apprentice wizard. Or perhaps he was just being very polite.

Once we reached an open field we sprinted toward the Keep. Even in the semi-blackness of the night I could see its outline in the sky. I struggled to keep up. These guys were in pretty good shape, and running was never my specialty.

"How many are there?" Saul asked.

"I'm not sure," Jon said. "Twenty or so."

"That's not many," Audry said.

In the pale light of the moons I saw the dark outline of the Keep. It was too dark to see any details, and I thought of asking one of our resident elves if their acute vision could make anything out--and then something occurred to me.

"Hang on a sec," I said. Everyone stopped and looked at me. "Listen."

After a moment Audry spoke. "I hear nothing."

"Exactly," I said.

"If they're being sieged," Saul said, "then their awfully quiet about it aren't they."

"Dear Gods," Jon said. He started running again and we followed. "It could be over already."

"With only twenty guys I'm sure it is," Anna said. "The Badgers wouldn't have a problem with that number. Are you sure about that number? Only twenty?"

"That's what it seemed like," Jon said.

"How did they attack?" I asked.

"Well, I wasn't there," Jon said. "I was sent by Rufus to find you."

"Rufus sent you?" Saul asked. "Not Burne?"

"No," Jon said. He hesitated. "He is indisposed."

"If you weren't there," I said, "then how do you know there was about twenty people attacking the Keep?"

"Rufus told me," Jon said. "Please, we must hurry."

My spidey sense tingled. Something was wrong with this boy. I couldn't see everyone else's faces clearly in the moonlight to know what they were thinking. If he was lying, then why? Was it a trap? Was someone luring us in? But they knew this boy and seemed to trust him. Perhaps whoever was in the Keep had something on him, such as holding his family captive. If that was the case, then the Keep was overrun. But by only twenty people?

Too many questions and not enough answers, and only one way to get those answers.

We kept running--God, did we run. I gasped for air, but everyone else breathed normally. I bet they could have run all day and not run out of breath. I really needed to get in shape.

Finally we reached the hill where the Keep stood. Defenses--including spears and trenches--surrounded the Keep. We went east toward the side of the Keep facing away from Hommlet--which if I remembered correctly was where the entrance was.

"Still very quiet," Marc said.

"It might be too late," Jon said. The boy's voice shook. "Dear Gods, I hope not."

"It's either over already," Saul said, looking at the boy, "or it didn't happen at all."

For a brief moment, fury filled the boy's face, a fury reserved only for one's most hated enemy. It remained for an instance, almost unnoticeable, and then it was replaced by a look of pure sincerity. "I assure you master Saul, I am not mistaken. The keep has been overrun by invaders."

"Who?" Audry said. "And how?"

"We need a little more to go on here, kid," Anna said.

"I am sorry I cannot give you more information," the boy said. "When everything started I was sent to find you."

"Why us?" I asked. "Why not the Burnes' Badgers? What can the five of us do they cannot?"

The boy hesitated briefly before answering. "Someone else went to warn the Badgers."

"You'd think they'd be here by now," Marc said.

"And I find it hard to believe they were defeated so easily," Saul added.

"Yeah, well, let's assume the worst just for giggles, huh?" Anna said. She stopped just south of the massive drawbridge. Even in the dim moonlight I could see that it remained unfinished. Anna pointed toward the top of the hill. "You guys don't mind getting dirty, do you?"

"Haven't I said you look good when you're filthy?" Saul said.

Anna mumbled something in a language other than Common. She put a foot on one of the implanted spears and pushed her self up. The others followed without comment. It looked like a steep climb, and the fact it was a prudent move didn't make me feel any better about it.

"After you," I said to Jon after the others had started their way up. "I'll bring up the rear."

The boy nodded and began his climb. I followed him as best as I could. It was steep, but the spears and sharpened poles in the ground--I couldn't think of the proper term--actually made good handholds. It made me wonder what why they were there if it made climbing easier.

The boy moved quickly, bouncing from foothold to foothold. He easily pulled himself up by his finger tips in places while I struggled to keep going. A few times he nearly overtook the others, but he never did. He deliberately held himself back. He glanced down at me warily from time to time.

Finally, we reached the top. After the run and the climb, I couldn't help but wheeze. I should have done more wind sprints back home, and I would have had I known I would be transported here. I felt relieved when I saw the others breathing hard as well. The boy, however, seemed fine.

"Let's hurry," the boy said. He made for the stairs that led to the keep entrance.

"Eager, isn't he?" Saul said.

"And not very cautious," Marc said.

"Something's wrong," Audry said.

"Yeah," Anna said. "This is probably the quietest invasion force ever. I don't believe the Badgers got beat this quickly."

"It's not just that," Audry said. "There's something wrong with that boy. His...well, his intentions are not clear."

Paladins could do that. The intentions of others were always clear to them. I could have used that technique in high school.

"What do you mean?" Saul asked. "Is he good, bad? Is he lying?"

"I can't tell," Audry said. "It's like his intentions are masked."

"Or blocked," Marc said. "That's not good."

"What do we do?" I asked.

"We have to go forward," Audry said. She drew her sword. Everyone else followed with their weapons, everyone but Marc. It occurred to me that I didn't have a weapon. As if he read my mind, Saul tapped me on the arm.

"Take this," he said. He handed me a sheathed sword. It was no longer than three feet from tip to pommel. A short sword. I drew the sword. I was use to a katana. This weapon was designed for one-handed use only. Fortunately for me, our sensei liked to teach unorthodox techniques from time to time--including wielding your two-handed sword with one hand.

"Hope you know how to use that thing," Anna said. She pulled out her short bow and nocked an arrow. "Looks like we're walking into a trap."

"Please, hurry," the boy whispered. I looked at him. He stood out in the open with no fear, an eager look on his face. Either he was foolish or he knew there was little to fear.

"We're going to walk into a trap?" I asked.

"There's no other way in," Marc said. He stood behind a corner out of sight of the boy. He mumbled something and I saw a glow envelope his body briefly. It disappeared after a few seconds. "I am ready. Follow me."

Marc moved forward, rushing up the stairs. The boy froze as we approached. Marc ignored him and went to the front door. Audry followed behind him, and Saul followed her. In his hand he held a small knife. Anna stood behind Saul, her bow at the ready. They moved in unison as if they had done this a hundred times before.

Jon started to say something when Marc thrust the door open. Then everything hit the fan.

Twang. It was one single noise but loud enough for me to know it came from multiple bows. Marc was wide open.

Marc crouched slightly, his arm in front of him. I waited for his arrow-riddled body to fall. Instead, he moved to the side. As he did, the arrows aimed at him floated briefly in the arrow, inches from him, and then fellow to the ground.

Saul came out from behind Marc and threw his knife. I heard whistle through the air and land with a thunk. It sounded like he hit a cantaloupe. Audry came in behind him and darted to the right.

Anna followed, planting an arrow into an archer standing on a balcony on the other side of the room. His face froze as the arrow pierced his skull, switching off any thought processes the man entertained. He fell forward, his body resting on the railing.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw the boy move. I didn't know what he did, and in that split second I didn't care. I entered the room and darted left. All of the training left me. Fear overwhelmed me at the thought of entering mass combat. Outside of sparring in martial arts classes and the occasional scuffle in school, I had never fought anyone. But this was no scuffle. This was a fight to the death.

And it could have very easily been my death.