Demorac came bounding over the hill, out of breath, and with a large red gash in his left arm.
The Rangers had just left the meeting spot with the prisoners. He could see them cresting a hill a hundred yards away.
The blood loss made him pale and lightheaded but he had to catch up with the party before the barbarians caught up with him.
Demorac ran as fast as he could, almost stumbling over his own feet.
Arkan heard a noise and spun around with his bow drawn. Demorac stood before him with a smile and blood dripping from both arms.
“Mission accomplished,” he said before closing his eyes and fainting in Arkan's arms.
Demorac was still alive but barely. Arkan called over for Farondil to help carry Demorac. They dragged him to the rest of the group.
But there was no time to rest.
Arkan and Farondil sat Demorac on the ground when they heard noises coming from the hills behind them.
“Do you hear that?” Farondil asked.
“Sounds like a war party is coming after us.”
Farondil pointed to Demorac. “We aren't going to move very fast.”
A weak voice came from below. “Leave me behind.” Demorac turned on his side and opened an eye.
Farondil crouched down on one knee. “That's too bad, Demorac, because we're taking you with us whether you like it or not.”
Demorac laughed and began coughing up blood. Farondil examined the wound on his arms and deemed it not too serious. He had reopened the wound that he received when scouting Icebor. But he noticed Demorac's tunic was also soaked with blood.
Farondil took Arkan out of ear shot of Demorac. “He won't make it unless we get him back immediately.”
Arkan looked out to the hills where the party of angry barbarians would no doubt appear soon. “Get him and go. I'll stay behind and hold them off for as long as I can.”
Farondil stepped forward. “I would like to volunteer for this job.”
Arkan shook his head. “Sorry, but I'm the leader and I say I'm the only that gets to sacrifice himself today.”
He looked past Farondil at the group of prisoners they rescued. Jennifer was helping her parents to some water. Arkan wanted to say goodbye but she had such a big smile on her face that he didn't want to ruin it.
“Tell Jennifer I love her,” Arkan said.
“Good luck,” Farondil replied.
They clasped each other's arms and Arkan was off into the night.
Farondil helped Demorac to his feet and ordered the party to keep moving.
–
Jennifer was too busy making sure her parents were all right to notice Arkan leaving. It wasn't until they were far away when she looked around and couldn't find him.
She spotted Farondil at the back of the group with Demorac stumbling under his arm. “Is he okay?” she asked.
Farondil strained as he tried to keep Demorac from tripping over his own feet. “He will if we can get him back to the Kingdom.”
“Where's Arkan?”
Farondil didn't know how to answer. “He's scouting behind us to make sure that we aren't being followed.”
Jennifer looked behind them at the rolling hills. Farondil wasn't sure that she believed him but it seemed to work when she went back to her parents.
–
Arkan set up at the top of a hill and could see torch lights a few hills away. It wouldn't be much longer before the barbarians were upon him. He took out every arrow in his quiver and stuck them into the ground until they made a wooden fence around him.
If he was going to get out of this alive, he would need to fire every arrow as quick as he could. And he didn't feel like sacrificing himself today. Not when Jennifer was waiting for him.
He counted the arrows on the ground and cursed when he only got to six.
“Hope it's a small war party,” he said to himself.
He kept low to the ground to keep his position hidden. He needed the element of surprise. The light became brighter as the barbarians approached.
Arkan got onto his knees took an arrow out of the ground. He nocked it and pulled back the string until it was taut against his cheek. He waited until the first barbarian peaked the hill, his head just barely in sight.
He let go the arrow and it soared through the night sky until it landed with a thud into the barbarian's head. The man fell backward down the hill and Arkan could hear a commotion as the group discovered their dead friend.
The barbarians shouted an order for everyone to get down which is exactly what Arkan was hoping for. They had no idea what Arkan's position was or how many there were. The more time it took for them to figure it out and kill Arkan, the more time Jennifer and the Rangers had to get to safety.
Arkan nocked another arrow and waited patiently. It only took a few moments for another head to crest over the hill. Arkan let the arrow fly but the barbarian ducked before the arrow reached him.
“Damnit. Keep it cool and wait for the perfect shot. Only four arrows left.” He strung another arrow and stretched the bowstring.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a barbarian trying to come around the hill to scout out his location. An arrow through his chest made sure the barbarian wouldn't be able tell his group where Arkan was.
Three arrows left.
Arkan had no idea how big the barbarian group was. They were still hidden behind the hill. For all he knew, there could be thousands waiting to attack.
Two came running over the ridge, swords in the air, screaming a battle cry. Arkan didn't let that scare him. He fired his first arrow into the throat of one and immediately fired another into the leg of the other barbarian.
The barbarian left alive dragged himself up and over the hill. Arkan didn't want to waste his last arrow on someone who couldn't even fight anymore.
He pulled his last arrow from the ground and kissed its head. “You better be able to kill at least twenty barbarians when I let you loose.”
He readied his bow and watched the hill. The light from their torches still glowed against the dark night. Sweat dripped from his forehead. After this arrow he'd have to resort to close combat with his dagger.
Arkan waited and waited but the barbarians never came. He heard an order of retreat and the glowing light of the torches began to move away from him.
Arkan relaxed his bowstring and fell to the the cold ground from exhaustion. “The gods must be watching over me.”