Chapter 20: Winter campaign

Blue Pass was full of men and several dozen new rangers from a dozen different countries. Snow had come early and we headed out and to the northeast. A day out of the pass a small band of orcs led by one of the large ones almost stumbled into our camp. We had heard them coming and stood with short swords.

As they pushed through the thick bushes I sliced the first one’s throat. It fell as I moved back and the next stumbled over the first only to have Aveline stab through its throat and rip her blade free. We killed six, one right after another before they all started pushing through together. We moved apart to stab and slice.

I slid a stabbing spear aside as the large orc lunged through the brush. My other sword slipped over the spear and cut back and across its throat. I looked around before kneeling to start cleaning my swords and then making sure all the orcs were dead and breaking their weapons. Aveline was packing up our camp and I took my pack when I finished and followed her out.

It was still snowing as we headed east along the northern mountain foothills. We both had our bows slung as we moved and after a few hours Aveline stopped. I heard the voices and we looked around as we tried to find where they were coming from. It was the grunting guttered voices of orcs but the falling snow made it impossible to hear where they were coming from.

One moved out of the snow and I pulled my sword and lunged in one move. The point took it in the throat as it opened its mouth to yell and I ripped it out. Aveline had dropped her pack but I gestured and moved to pull the spasming orc to the side and kick snow over it. We turned to move to the left and moved into the falling snow slowly.

When I almost walked into the side of the large tent I stopped and glanced around before looking at Aveline. She pulled her short swords and gestured to the right. I slipped my pack off as I began to move and set it against the tent before pulling my swords. No one was guarding the door on the end and it was closed.

I nodded to Aveline and swept it open as I moved in and stabbed an orc in the belly. I sliced out and to the side to cut another’s throat. Aveline moved to the left as she entered and killed two more. I brought my sword down and into the neck of another as it lunged to its feet and stabbed past it and into a dark brother as he rushed me.

I tore both blades free and slashed to the side as I continued to step and kill orcs. We moved through the tent slowly before stopping and starting to go back and kill those still alive. That was when I found the lost one bound and tied. I looked at Aveline and she shook her head. I squatted in front of him and he only stared straight ahead as if waiting.

What came to me then was the elf stones. If I wanted I could feel each as if I still held them. I leaned closer and looked straight into his eyes as I placed my hands on the side of his head. I took a deep breath and pulled using the magic within that connected me to the stones. I tried to pull the feel of the stones and push it into the lost one through my hands and eyes.

He stiffened and his mouth dropped opened as if in a scream. He jerked and spasmed as I continued to hold him and finally he sagged and fainted. I let him go and looked at Aveline who looked at me strangely. I shrugged and looked around before going to grab a large fur. I laid the lost one on it and wrapped him before I pulled him out.

I went to get my pack and Aveline shook her head as we left and I pulled the fur. We found and moved around the few smaller shelters until we were out of the orc camp. It was several hours before we staggered into a small group of evergreens. I dug a tunnel down and under the branches of one before we pulled the lost one in with our packs.

I had collected branches while walking and dug a hole and started the fire. We melted snow for water and ate rations and glanced at the lost one when he shifted. I opened the fur and he looked at me and swallowed several times, “Water?”

I blinked and looked at Aveline before pulling a water skin out and helping him drink. He looked at us when he was done, “What year is it?”

I shrugged, “By whose count?”

He smiled but continued to look at Aveline who sighed, “The leave taking was ten millennium ago.”

He nodded and relaxed, “How many became lost like me?”

Aveline moved closer, “Over a thousand. Many have died and many have joined with those of darkness or chaos.”

He frowned, “And how many have come back?”

She shook her head, “None until now.”

He looked at me, “What did you do?”

I smiled as I brought dried beef to him and untied his hands, “Let you see and feel all the elf stones.”

He nodded and shivered, “I can still feel them.”

I looked at him and he shook his head as he began to eat slowly. I went out a couple of times to find and bring back dead wood for the fire. Aveline spent most of the night talking to Elvandar and drew a map to the Green Heart for him. In the morning we packed up and he hesitated before leaving.

I looked after him, he had told us he was going to find the other lost ones and try to bring them back. I shook my head and turned to head to the west, “How about a nice walk to the Highland to spend the winter on the edge of the Green Heart?”

Aveline chuckled as she let me break trail, “Lead on.”

We went around the camp of orcs when we reached it and continued to the west. Once more it began to snow and I stopped and we used a few rabbit skins and branches to make a sled. It snowed every other day for over six weeks. We managed to catch a lot of rabbits and had enough for long white winter coats.

Crossing the Highland had us looking everywhere because of all the orc sign. We walked under the trees of the Green Heart and took a deep breath. I spun at a chuckle and two elves stepped out of a blind with a young white wolf. I relaxed, “You startled us.”

One crossed to us as I glanced around, “I am Decker and our friend has been smelling you for the last hour.”

I smiled as the wolf grinned and Aveline chuckled, “As soon as we warm up some water it will not be so bad.”

The camp he led us to was large with almost a hundred elves and all six of the young wolves from a spring litter. We made a shelter on the edge and left our packs to return to the central fire. The elf in command was Doran, he wore his hair in a braid with feathers. He smiled, “Blade and Aveline.”