Closed A Little Fall of Rain (Vanator)

[Jackalope]

To move stealthily towards the Zith was a daunting task indeed. They had landed some distance beyond the copse, so once making his way from it, crouched just under the tops of the swaying grass, Vanator moved, step by step, his best efforts to mask his advance hopefully enough to avoid detection by the scourge of the plains. Sirocco had voiced quiet displeasure at being left behind, but the Strider was no fool. The Zith were dangerous, and while he was fast, there were several deadly creatures. Obediently he awaited his rider's return.

The cries of the woman were his beacon, keeping him on course, as her loud sobs rang over the almost subdued Sea of Grass. Closer and closer the Drykas man approached, and the crying only got louder before a yell cut through the air like a scythe through grain.

"STOP! PLEASE NO!"

The feminine voice pleaded with her captors, only to receive a low, rumbling laugh in return. Even with his ears as his only senses currently, Vanator could recognize the very obvious tearing of fabric. The begging of the woman continued, but grew softer and softer as he was nearly upon where he had seen them descend.

Reaching the edge a clearing, Van caught the fleeting image of a Zith disappearing into a small cave entrance centered in the area. Strewn about the clearing appeared to various trinkets, broken weapons, destroyed carts, and other things of which the Zith appeared to have no use. Noticeable was the woman's clothing which lay in ruin just before the cave entrance.

[Vanator]

Though his heart pounded rapidly within his chest, Vanator's nerves remained steady as he crept closer to the Zith and their victim. The thumping of his own pulse in his ears did not drown out the plaintive cries of the prisoner, and the audible tearing of her clothes urged the Drykas forward with a riskier haste.

As he entered the clearing, the Denusk realized he was too late. The black, leathery wings of the last Zith vanished into a cave opening. Shyke. The collection of debris outside the opening was forboding, and Van wondered if this was the entrance to an new colony, or simply a small waystation for the beasts. There was no indication of other Zith about, but, in the daylight, the creatures rarely became active. The flight that passed overhead was an unusual occurrence.

Still staying low and quiet, Vanator crept closer. She would not have much time, depending on what the Zith had planned. No one understood the risks of following the Zith more than Vanator. He had lived among them, owned by them. He knew them better than most. He did not want to live that nightmare again. But the Drykas could not let another human suffer that same fate. For the woman, it would be worse.

With a quick glance around, Vanator returned the arrow to his quiver, slung the bow over his shoulder and across his chest, and unslung the battle ax. Gripping it in his right hand, Vanator slunk into the cave.

[Jackalope]

The cries had ceased at the point of his entrance. No Zith seemed to be about at this time, the only obvious ones having entered the cave. The evil creatures were indeed unusually aggressive for the daytime. The area around the cave entrance was cleared out, and it was apparent that this was a well traversed route. There was something even more bothersome than the trashed gear in the area. While not visible from the grass, now that he was closer, there were bones. Human bones. Tossed indiscriminately within the other refuse, they'd all been cleaned of any flesh, any blood, any tendons, any cartilage. They had been feasted upon, the monsters enjoying every savory part.

The cave was not as dark as one would expect. The winding tunnel found itself brightened by luminescent fungus that lined portions of the cavernous walls. The gentle dripping of water echoed throughout the corridor, the damp floors slippery with moss. As Vanator entered the cave, the heavens opened up behind him, and a torrent of rain washed away the path he left, a trickle quickly turning into a stream flowing around his feet.

Just barely above the downfall of water could be heard weak sobs echoed throughout the cave. Louder they grew as downward he descended, until the path grew wider and wider, before a sharp turn would open up into large cavern. Inside the the dimly lit cave was a scene that was truly a testament to the horrible Zith. She was nothing but a play thing for their desires, and beastial they were. Over and over again they forced themselves upon the woman until they were spent, and she had no will left with which to resist. A soul shaking deep laughter echoed as the winged demons voiced their pleasure with the catch they had made.

Five them total.

They were monsters. They were horrors. They were evil.

But they were also preoccupied.

[Vanator]

As the Drykas stalked carefully into the cave opening, stepping over the debris and bones, the descent into the tunnel was hauntingly familiar. Not that Vanator had been there before, but he had been somewhere very similar, he had lived there. Just like the colony where he was a slave, this stone corridor was illuminated by luminescent fungus. The sudden downpour outside was a blessing, masking the tread of his riding boots upon the wet stony floor.

Vanator crept along, his pace hasted by the need to rescue the woman soon, but restrained by the need for stealth. Once the tunnel widened and reached a corner, the horseman paused. Flattening his back against the wall, he leaned his head out only enough to peer around the bend. The whimpers of the woman could now be heard over the course inhuman laugther of the Zith tormentors. The site was appalling, but not surprising, for the former Zith captive had seen the scene played out time and time again.

All indications were that the five were the total number of Zith. Any present would flock to the others for a chance to torture and abuse a human female. If any man knew about killing Zith, it was Vanator. After the attack on the Sanctuary in the Fall, he had lost count of the number of Zith he had slain. But his body also displayed the price for such knowledge in a myriad of scars that his captors and enemies had inflicted upon him. Likewise, his psyche and soul bore deeper wounds and a twisted curse that the wretched monsters had left with him.

Ducking back behind the corner, Vanator quickly contemplated his next move. Five Zith were a lot to take on at once, and he could easily be surrounded in the open cavern, even from above by a hovering enemy. The tunnel itself was wide enough for him to swing his ax unhindered, but would restrict the zith to one, maybe two attackers at a time. If he could take any out before they reached him, that would increase his chances as well.

Leaning the battle axe against the wall, Van unslung his composite short bow and nocked an arrow, keeping it pointed downward. He drew back the string, the wood and horn laminate creaking as the recurve bow bent. Then he stepped out around the corner, just enough for a clear shot. The Zith were occupied with their victim, and Vanator took advantage of their distraction for a careful aim. Leaning against the wall for stability, Vanator leveled the iron arrowhead at a large male standing back, watching with a feral grin visible even in the dim light. Holding his breath, the Drykas released the string and let his missile fly.

Vanator immediately dropped the bow and snatched up the battle axe. In his left hand he began to pool djed-born res, forming his practiced double layered sphere of greenish flammable gas. A small measure of will ignited the outer layer, his eyes already targeting the first Zith to move towards him. A flick of the Reimancer's wrist would propel the grapefruit-sized ball of fire towards that Zith, the inner sphere ignited just before it left Vanator's limited range of control, letting the firebolt streak towards his target.

Then the Drykas planted his feet, gripped his ax, shifted his shoulders to settle the mail draped over his torso, grit his teeth and cursed at his enemy.

"Come on, you filthy petching bastards!"

[Jackalope]

The Drykas man's arrow struck true, sending the large Zith lurching forward in pain. The look of shock that came over his face, and in reality all of them, was almost amusing. That someone would attack them in a den of their own creating. A filthy, subspecies like this human, assaulting them while they enjoyed the spoils of a very successful, and very delicious raid? Unforgivable. The injured one roared out in pain, and turned his attention on the foolish Drykas. "Kill him," it hissed in Common, making sure their new pray knew what his fate to be.

One of the Zith immediately turned his attention from the atrocity being committed to close on Vanator quickly. The wicked grin across the winged creature's face was nearly instantly wiped away by cleansing fire. It let out a horrible howl, falling to the ground writhing and clawing at it's face where the searing flames has burned its flesh. Another of the Zith charged in it's place, head on to where the Drykas man was waiting with his battle axe. There was no way for more than one of them to assault Vanator with his tactical decision to remain in the narrow path leading into the cavern. All he needed to do was be better than one.

All this while, the injured Zith stood back and watched, another of them turned and fled deeper into the underground tunnels, and another yet continued having it's way with the woman, completely overcome by it's monstrous lust for flesh. The sound of cries and battle echoed throughout the cave, the performance of a truly disgusting symphony of death and evil.

[Vanator]

Vanator quickly assessed the situation as the Zith came charging at him. The arrow had struck the large one, thought it did not kill him. The smaller one struck by his fire bolt was writing on the ground, not dead but at least temporarily no threat. Behind the form of the attacking foe, the Drykas could see one still banging away at their victim, while the last one disappeared down the tunnel. Of all of the enemies, that one was of the most concern. He could warn others, and their would be little hope for either the woman or her rescuer. Van had to deal with these immediately and get the girl out of there.

Once the assailing Zith arrived, Vanator stepped back further into the tunnel, drawing the monster in. The thing folded its wings, no longer able to use them to confuse and buffet him. Vanator chambered back the broad headed ax, taking a step forward and bringing the battleax around and down in an angled strike aimed at the creature's dark torso. The blow would be followed up with a kick intended to knock the Zith out of strike range and allow the Drykas time to recover for a second blow.

[Jackalope]

The assaulting Zith's had overextended itself, trying to claw at Vanator's exposed flesh. While the beast's claws were sharp, against chain mail, there was little threat. Sharp nails would just scrap futilely against metal links. So it lunged, trying to get at Vanator's face, trying to hurt, maim, or kill him. And he left himself completely open when he did so. It had leaned forward to strike, lowering its center to pounce, and as a result, it put its head in line with a perfectly timed strike from Vanator. The sticking crunch of blade meeting skull echoed throughout the narrow tunnel, and the Drykas man's kick served to loose the vile beast from his weapon. Down the tunnel it rolled, gurgling blood as it would return to the cycle, life fading from this form.

The pleasureable cries of the Zith stopped, though the sobs of the woman still came from the other cave when the largest of the beasts came around the corner, taking care to step on, and crush, the throat of his defeated brethren. He had since pulled the arrow from it's flesh, a small trail of blood coming forth from the opening. Cold, hateful eyes studied the human. It wanted him dead. But it also wanted to live. In a low, rumblin voice, it spoke in Common. "Human. Leave now. Not die. Yet. Zith will find. Zith will eat. Not today. But will eat." It reached back into the cave and pulled forth the woman. She was bleeding, drenched in tears, sweat, and other horrible fluids, but by the syna kissed tone of her skin, there was no doubting her ethnicity. They'd snagged themselves a lovely Benshira lady.

"Tell me name, human. That I know who hunt. Who capture. Who my slave. Who my meal. I Nightstorm. You remember. Always. Will be last thing you see." He growled, narrowing his eyes. Nightstorm hated Vanator. He hated this Benshira girl. He wanted to just off them both, but he was wounded by a nasty sneak attack, and his brothers were clearly incompetent. He valued living another day over risking it trying to kill this skilled Drykas warrior. And while reinforcements would be coming, they would do him no good dead. " Take her, human. Leave. If wait, more will come. Will eat delicious flesh. Go. Go."

If Vanator accepted his offer, the Zith would shove the nude woman towards him and watch them leave. If he did not, well, the offer wouldn't stand long.

[Vanator]

The Drykas braced for the oncoming assault. The attacking Zith was younger, Vanator's experience with its kind told him as much, anxious to impress the larger male, black eyes filled with rage, compelling him to attack foolishly. There was a twisted satisfaction when the heavy axe head bit into the Zith's flesh, splitting the creature's head with a sick crack and spattering black blood across the tunnel floor. The Drykas had to lever the wedged blade from its skull as he kicked the dying monster away, it's leathery wings flailing. Vanator's heart was thudding against his chest, his adrenaline pumping, his axe lifted again ready for the next assailant, the urgency to free the woman fed by her plaintive cries.

Then the large male, wounded by the human's arrow, stepped out of the shadowy cave, deliberate but not attacking, crushing his fellow under his clawed foot. Vanator held his ground, waiting. Then it spoke. Vanator knew some Zith could manage human language. During his captivity, the Drykas slave discovered that the monsters were rather curious, anxious to learn about the cultures they plundered, even to learn the tongue of their victims. This one appeared to possess a shred of wisdom, and a sense of self-preservation, a leader among his wicked peers. The Zith's wound was deep, and he was obviously weakened. Though Vanator was ready for the creature to suddenly lunge at him, the Zith instead offered an unexpected alternative to the bloody course of events that would certainly unfold should the fighting continue.

Then the Zith produced their victim, a beautiful Benshiran. Vanator's heart broke for her, she was a mess, bloodied, weeping, her spirit broken, like the dozen or so he had known while a enslaved, like the ones they had brought to him. To win her freedom, The horseman would do as the winged beast demanded.

"I am Vanator Denusk. Come find me Nightstorm. My ax has split the skull of a dozen or more of you brothers and sisters, what is one more?" His words were inflammatory, given the threats of the seething Zith, so the Drykas took the beast's advice and moved quickly. Vanator snatched the woman's wrist, pulling her to him, wrapping an arm around her waist. Without taking his eyes from Nightstorm, the Drykas backed up the tunnel, his bloody ax held out defensively. He kept his eyes on the hate-filled gaze of the wounded Zith, the Denusk's own glare, hard and cold, staring back with equal hatred.

Once he made the cave exit, Vanator turned, hoisting the naked girl in his arms and headed towards Sirocco, calling the Strider to him. Grabbing his cloak, the Drykas wrapped it around the woman and lifted her onto the yvas. Climbing on behind her, he wrapped his arms around her, the dazed girl's head lulling back against his chest. Van urged his mount forward, putting as much distance between them and the Zith cave as possible.

.

[Jackalope]

Santa

Award

Skill	XP Earned	Lore Earned
Observation	+3	To Be in the Sea of Grass is to Be Drykas
Battle Ax	+3	Novice Spell: Flamebolt
Reimancy	+2	A Witness to the Cruelty of Zith
Stealth	+2	Nightstorm: A Powerful, Intelligent Zith
Shortbow	+1
Tactics	+2
Riding	+1

Witty Remark Here

Glad you enjoyed it. Straightforward, a lot of action, and a fair bit of XP. I'll be updating your ST secrets with the Benshira girl as a usable NPC for you, as well as sending you a PM with her details. Thanks for playing! If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.