Laufa, the Hedgehog in the Fog

The Lodrian Wall Foothills. February 2, 1435.

“Eidar,” Nachkt whispered. “About the second trial—”

“Shut up.”

Laufa crept through their captain’s battlefield-wide smokescreen. Nachkt and Eidar trailed behind her, along with three other bearers she’d managed to wrangle up from nearby. The air was heavy and thick, making it impossible to see anything, or even smell anything through the scent of wet ashes. Eidar’s grumbling was barely audible over the hissing wind.

Are those two really going to be fine…?

Their boots sank into the cold mud, squelching with every step. She glanced down at the compass again. Its metal casing was slick with rain in her hand.

Eralia said Mordhun and his banner were two-hundred degrees southwest. They were still headed the right way. That was, if her teammates didn’t kill each other, first.

“Bearers!” A shout tore through the mist. “A whole company of them to our north!”

Laufa’s arm shot out. She pressed a finger to her lips, and her team immediately filed behind the dripping trunk of a tree.

“Like that last company you spotted?” A second voice said. “The one that was just a single girl? It’s another trick, blockhead.”

The march of footsteps grew louder. A group of tall silhouettes poked through the fog, headed straight for their hiding spot. “That Adeus wench has us fighting smoke.”

“We’re just supposed to stand here and do nothing, then?” Another voice piped up, almost on top of them. “We should’ve at least gotten a signal by now!”

Then, a twig snapped under one of her teammate’s boots.

The marching stopped, and the bearer’s face dropped. Through the smoke, Laufa could make out the outline of a face, staring at them. Their gauntlet moved to their hilt.

Laufa’s breath caught in her throat as the pair of eyes carefully scanned the treeline. Please…

The man grunted and turned away. “How’re we supposed to see a signal through all this smoke…?”

Their voices faded, swallowed by the smoke like they were never even there in the first place.

Laufa let out a shaky breath, her fingers loosening around her piercer. She made a quick headcount then waved for the group to continue, and they trudged southwest over a muddy rise.

Right before the summit, Eidar dropped to a crouch. His metal gauntlet jabbed against her stomach to hold her back. She followed his stare and spotted two foggy shapes ahead.

The smoke shifted, revealing the gleam of armoured helmets. There were two men, their backs turned and their spears held loose as they watched the horizon.

“Still nothin’.” One of them sighed. “We sure they’re even coming?”

“Just stick to the captain’s orders.”

Laufa grimaced. They’re expecting us.

But Mordhun’s banner, their whole objective, was just up ahead. Those two guards were the only things standing in their way.

She glanced back at her teammates. Nachkt’s knuckles were white around his piercer. Eidar’s entire body was coiled, his eyes locked onto the pair ahead.

Wasting time finding another path would only give Mordhun even more time to prepare. They had to take them out. And quietly, without any huge, bright barriers that’d give them away. It was their only shot.

Flickering barriers was still new to her. But maybe, just maybe, we can pull it off.

She held up three fingers. The team’s eyes snapped to her. She lowered a finger. Two. Then, another.

One.

They exploded from the mud. Laufa led a charge straight into the taller soldier while Nachkt and Eidar’s half of the group stormed the other. Eidar clubbed the butt of his piercer into the man’s neck, and he keeled over with a choked grunt. It was just enough for the taller soldier to notice.

His head spun around. He swept his polearm at her side. It was a dark blur, too fast to dodge, but she was too far out to strike. Not before he could make a sound.

Now. A jolt went through her head. Her vision pulsed. For half a second, the dull smoke erupted into a web of blinding blue light.

Then, it disappeared. The spear shattered with a brittle crack against a barrier that wasn’t even there anymore.

Before she could even process her victory, a spray of wooden splinters burst into the air. She gasped as several snagged into her left arm. The debris tore through her cloak and into her skin, splotches of dark red dotting her sleeve.

She bit down on her tongue to keep from crying out and threw herself forward. The soldier stood there stunned, still clutching the broken handle. His mouth opened, but before he could make a sound, she crashed into his chestplate.

Her hilt bashed into his sword hand while her left hand, splinters included, clamped over his mouth. She grimaced as hot pain shot up her arm. They tumbled to the ground, tossing up mud. His spear handle laid half-buried in the soil.

Nachkt helped her stand up. “I think you’re getting better at that,” he whispered.

“Ah. Thanks.” She winced, picking at the splinters in her arm. “Hurts way more than practice, though.”

Laufa glanced at the men on the ground. Mordhun was close, but they needed to know exactly where.

She crossed her arms, putting together the most intimidating expression she could manage. “Keep quiet, and tell us where Mordhun is.”

Her voice was obviously strained an octave deeper than usual. She kicked the shorter man’s spear, sending it spinning across the mud.

That should do it.

“We’re out.” The shorter one smirked. “Rules say we’re not supposed to talk.”

Apparently, she wasn’t that intimidating.

Eidar stepped towards them with a snarl. “Nothing in the rules about beating the hide out of you two.” He stomped his boot down a foot from the man’s face, splattering it with mud.

“Eidar, stop.” Nachkt grabbed his wrist. “They’re right, you’d just get reported for misconduct—”

Eidar’s head whipped around to face Nachkt, who instantly threw his hands up in defense.

Eidar turned back to the soldiers and raised his foot again. The shorter man flinched. That’s way too far!

“H—Hey! Wait!” She scrambled in between them. “He can’t talk, but the rules didn’t say anything about pointing!” She waved her hands frantically.

The shorter soldier looked from Eidar to Laufa, then to his own companion, shaking his head. After a moment of hesitation, he squeezed his eyes shut and jabbed his hand south, earning a disappointed glare from the other.

Eidar scoffed. He jerked and turned his back to the group. “Let’s not waste any more time.”

Laufa frowned as he stalked away. “You weren’t actually going to hurt them… Right?”

* * *

“He’s armed to the teeth out there.”

“For once, Eidar, we agree.” Nachkt sighed. “Any ideas, Laufa?”

Laufa peered out at Mordhun from behind the treeline. His horse was surrounded by a ring of foot soldiers, spears and swords all drawn. And that was only what she could see, there were probably even more lying in wait. Charging in blind would be a death sentence.

“If we can just reach the banner…” Laufa muttered.

“Brilliant, Captain.” Eidar crossed his arms. “Should we march up and ask for it, or do you have a plan?”

The bearers shuffled behind her.

“He’s waiting for us, isn’t he?” One of them spoke up. “A feint might work.”

“That’s the first thing he expects, Mordhun’s no fool.” Nachkt shook his head. “He knows Eralia would send you, too.” He turned to Laufa. “Whatever we do, he’s planned for you specifically.”

She looked down at her boots. “He’s planned for me…?”

Would Lady Eralia really send me out here, knowing he expects me? Laufa rubbed her thumb against her hand.

When they’d played chess, Eralia sacrificed plenty of pawns without a second thought. It was natural to her. Was that was Laufa was to her: A pawn to clear the way? Was her real plan unfolding somewhere else, far away from her? A bitter taste filled her mouth. Maybe she should’ve never trusted that know-it-all in the first place.

No, that couldn’t be right. Eralia never wasted a piece. The image of the chessboard wouldn’t leave her mind. Eralia’s slender fingers tapping a single pawn. Laufa had missed it completely, she was too focused on the bigger pieces, the queen, the rooks, the bearers. By the time Eralia pointed the pawn out, it’d nearly reached the other side and become a queen. It wasn’t a sacrifice. Laufa had just been too blind to notice it, only because it was a pawn.

She flexed her left arm, the splinters still aching. Eralia sent me… because she knew he was expecting me. We’re his blind spot.

Laufa lifted her chin. “You’re right. He’ll be watching me.” A thin smile touched her lips. “So, let’s give him exactly what he expects.”