Who’s Hunting Who?

Night was well and firmly ensconced on the Dragon Jaw’s Plateau. Six winged figures soared silently above the cold lands, spiraling down towards the tent pitched by the southernmost peak of the ridge.

If one were to watch this arial display in daylight one would think that it is an action of shear grace. The six figures circled around the tent then each one in turn touched down silently at different points surrounding the tent.

The six stood silently waiting the optimum moment to strike. These were Black Crow Harpies with feathers so black that they almost seem to absorb any light.

However, there was no light this night except for a tiny hint coming out of the tent via some random small hole in the canvas.

Black Crow Harpies were unlike other harpies in that they had functional hands at the pinnacles of their wings. One, the leader, seemed to stare intensely at the pinprick of light coming from the tent then in a barely noticeable moment something passed between the light source within and the hole. She had the confirmation she needed to signal her fellows to strike. Suddenly, each one of the six presented a small crossbow and fired it into the tent causing a hellish crossfire to whomever was in the tent.

The six, being professionals knew to space themselves and face themselves as to not fire across to their own opposite number on the other side of the tent.

The crossbows continue to produce bolts that shredded the tent and destroyed whatever it was producing light within.

The remainder of the tent fell away, and one figure stood alone in the center of the circle. The lone figure looked down at the multitude of crossbow bolts sticking out of their abdomen, chest, arms and legs.

A feminine voice chuckled and said, “Alright, it’s my turn!”

Jade erupted into a hellion and proceeded to disable the wings of the harpies in lightning-fast surgical strikes. The Harpies were stunned at the speed and ferocity. They were shocked at the lack of effect of their weapons and poisons. This shouldn't be possible.

Before any understood what was going on, Jade stood holding the leader by the fulcrum of her jaw. She reached into the harpy’s mouth and extracted a small black capsule and threw it away. Then she said, “Now that your suicide is denied you, you and I are going to have a chat.”

Rowen and the others were proceeding along the trail south towards Antagar’s Gap. They were moving along steadily in the pitch blackness of night relying on the trooper’s and their horse’s night vision to keep them from walking off of some inopportune cliff.

Rowen was thinking, “I hope Jade will be alright. I left her a squad of troopers, one of which was programed to be a skilled sniper with my double-barreled rifle. I also know that she’s more than hard to kill…I mean destroy.” He kicked himself because he kept falling into the trap of thinking of Jade as a person.

He felt a hand grab onto his and he heard in his mind, she has taken out the assassins and has one capable of talking.

He nodded and thought back, Thanks, Xyarra, I’m glad that you can interface with her still.

I sense your worry. Remember she is just a machine.

Maybe, but…it’s hard to just think of her as such.

Right, when you live for more than a couple of hundred of years, you’ll stop having attachments to things and people.

Rowen said out loud, “No, that’ll never happen. Things maybe but not people!”

He then turned his head towards the front of his column and said, “Captain, we’ll be pulling over and standing by wherever it’s safe now.”

The Captain of the cavalry troop said softly, “Yes…Sir.”

They waited in the dark for a time until they heard hoofbeats approaching from the north. Then Rowen took out a lantern and activated the light rune in it to shed some light onto the newcomers.

The squad of troops were ten in number but two of their horses were carrying an extra passenger. One of which was unceremoniously slung over the back of the horse like a saddle bag.

Jade dismounted and bowed to Rowen and said, “I have completed my mission, Master!”

“So, I see. Good job Jade. Now show me the present you brought me.” He said with a wink.

The “luggage” was dumped over headfirst onto the ground to land on her back with a muffled complaint.

Rowen brought the lantern near the prisoner and looked at her face. She wasn’t what he considered pretty, with her long beak like nose and deep dark eyes.

Her wings were tied behind her back and there were cloth sacks tied onto each of her talons to prevent her from clawing the hell out of whomever she could.

She was gagged, and also tied around her upper arms.

Rowen tested the ropes and said, “Now that she’s hog tied, we can take that gag out of her mouth and get some answers.”

Xyarra said, “Now leave her to me. I’ll get your answers.”

Rowen said sternly, “Don’t do anything cruel and unusual.”

“Oh poo. You’re no fun. Don’t worry Row, I won’t do anything against your sensibilities right now. But in time you’ll realize…” she shrugged then turned to the harpy and let her eyes flare with golden light.

The harpy leader involuntarily gulp.

Suddenly the harpy and Xyarra were enveloped in a dark cloud. A few muted sounds struggled to escape the darkness. None could bring themselves to try to enter that darkness. When it lifted, Xyarra stepped out of a smoking circle on the ground, leaving a sweating, unconscious harpy behind

After the interrogation extracted sufficient information for them to have a better idea as to how to proceed, Rowen ordered they set up camp, and look at the maps that Dana had to decide where they were going next. Dana pointed at a spot on the map covered with mountains and she said, “This was the way we came from. Through the Dwargon Mountains. If what she says is true, then that way is shut to us because of the layers of assassins waiting for us.”

Kit chimed in, “That means that we have to swing over to the east through the Cam Forest and through Five Kingdom’s lands.”

Xyarra said, “Oh good. They won’t expect us to go that way. Besides, this forest and those hills belong to the Emerald Queen. She’s still partial to Beastkin and elves.”

Rowen looked at the map and said, “I’ll take your word for it. I’m a stranger here remember. Where do we go from there?” pointing at the map.

Kit said, “Well, we’ll have to go south through the Free Village of Cam, then once we leave the forest and foothills, we can turn west towards Stiarra Nor.”

Rowen asked, “Stiarra Nor, that’s a pretty name, what does it mean?”

“North star. It’s Tier’s eastern and northern most city.”

Rowen thought about and said, “Let’s have a cold camp here and move out at first light.”

He turned to Jade, and this was when he noticed the multiple bolts sticking out of her back and sides. “I know you don’t feel it but that looks painful.”

She shrugged and said, “I’ll take your word for it, Master. Would you be so kind and help me remove the bolts in my back that I can’t reach, Master?”

Rowen cringed and said reluctantly, “Yeah, sure.”