Rangers of the Dark Read online

  The barbarian tribes over the hills used crude weapons that would barely stand up in battle. They didn't rely on their weapons so much as they did on their numbers. The Kingdom of Danzar didn't have a great army anymore since the War of Swords. If the barbarian tribes united, the kingdom could be in grave danger.

  But Arkan wasn't worried. The civil wars between the tribes still raged on and the chances of unification were slim at best.

  Nothing he saw today changed his mind. Two scouts seemingly from the same tribe barely constituted a threat. Not even worth reporting to the King.

  “Shall we keep hunting?” Garel asked, wiping the blood off his blades and sheathing them.

  “I didn't see any signs of anymore scouts. We should go back and get some food.”

  Garel nodded and they set off back to camp.

  Chapter Four

  Arkan and Garel followed the smell of the fire through the woods until they made it to camp.

  The Rangers of the Dark Forest lived simply. Small green tents were situated in a circle formation around a small campfire. A little pot hung from iron over the fire, stew bubbling within.

  Two Rangers sat around the fire with a wooden bowl and spoon in their hand. Belim was big and round. A real brute that you wouldn't want to mess with. He could also eat more than all the Rangers combined.

  Farondil sat on the opposite side of Belim. He was second to Arkan and they disagreed on almost every subject. He kept his blonde hair short and had softer features than Arkan but was just as strong.

  “There better be some food. I'm starving,” Garel said, putting down his pack.

  “Don't worry, Garel, I ate it all.” Belim let out a howling laugh that echoed throughout the forest.

  “If that were true, Belim, I would've already slayed you,” Garel said, slipping his dagger out and pointing it at Belim's protruding belly. Garel moved to the stew and poked a piece of beef with the tip of his knife. He closed his eyes and savored the taste. “This is very good, Belim.”

  Belim nodded and continued eating.

  Garel took a bowl and spooned enough stew to satisfy his hunger. Arkan came up right behind and did the same. They both sat down on a log around the fire.

  “You might want to get out of Belim's splash zone,” Farondil said, pointing to the mess of food that stained Belim's green tunic.

  Arkan laughed and scooted his log further away.

  “Nobody should be told how to eat,” Belim proudly stated.

  “Did you find anything out there?” Farondil asked.

  Arkan sipped the stew and agreed with Garel's assessment on the quality. Belim had gotten a lot better at cooking. “Found two scouts. Took care of them,” Arkan said, returning to his dinner.

  “Any evidence of others?”

  Arkan shook his head. “Not that Garel and I could see.”

  “What are those savages planning?” Belim asked.

  Garel pretended his spoon was a dagger. “Let them come! I'll slice through them all.” He swung his spoon through the air.

  “Don't get ahead of yourself, Garel. The barbarians were just doing their usual scouting mission. And thanks to the Rangers of the Dark Forest, they'll get no information from us,” Arkan said.

  Garel looked around. “Where is Demorac?”

  Farondil pointed his spoon to the forest. “Said he smelled something fishy and went to go check it out.”

  “Probably smelled Belim and wanted to get out of here.” Garel laughed.

  Belim was too busy eating to care for insults.

  “Should we be on high alert, Arkan?” Farondil asked.

  “It can't hurt. We should probably have two men on watch tonight just in case,” Arkan replied.

  “What about the King?”

  “What about him?”

  Farondil leaned forward on his log. “Should we notify him?”

  “For two lousy scouts? If even that's what they were. They could've been deserters for all we know.”

  Farondil shrugged. “Wouldn't want the King to get angry because we neglected our duties.”

  Arkan ate a spoonful of stew. He hated to admit it but Farondil was probably right. “It's too late to see the King tonight but I'll see him first thing in the morning.”

  Farondil relaxed on his log, satisfied. Any concession by Arkan no matter how small was win in Farondil's book.

  Their quiet dinner was soon interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Someone was moving fast through the forest and they were headed straight for the camp. Arkan put his bowl down and stood up. The rest of the Rangers did the same.

  Arkan grabbed his bow in preparation of an enemy. Garel unsheathed his daggers. Belim took one last bite of stew and swung his heavy warhammer onto his shoulder. Farondil pulled his fine rapier out of his scabbard.

  Demorac came crashing through the forest. An arrow was stuck in his left bicep, blood soaking the dark green tunic. “Brothers! A raid!”

  Demorac stopped at their feet and bent down to one knee to catch his breath.

  “Slow down, Demorac,” Arkan said, relaxing his bow. “Tell us what happened.”

  Demorac took a deep breath. “I was scouting near Icebor when I saw the barbarians attack.”

  “How many?” Farondil asked.

  “At least two dozen,” Demorac replied.

  The brothers looked at one another with big eyes.

  Arkan gripped his bow tight. “What are we waiting for? Those people need our help.”

  Belim scratched his bald scalp. “But going against two dozen barbarians? It's suicide.”

  Farondil stepped forward. “I recommend we alert the King. With reinforcements we can help them.”

  Arkan shook his head. “By the time we get reinforcements and get back to the village it will already be too late. We're Rangers of the Dark Forest. We can't run with our tails between our legs.”

  Arkan put his bow forward. “Are you with me?”

  The Rangers weren't cowards. They all nodded and put their weapons forth.

  Chapter Five

  Jennifer and her mother froze in place and listened to the commotion outside. Another yell of “enemy raid” confirmed it.

  They both went into the living room to find Raldar taking out an old sword from a scabbard. The blade gleamed in the light as he examined its edge. The sword had been in their family for generations but Raldar never had a reason to use it before.

  Until today.

  Tears formed in Eliden's eyes. “My love, you're not going out there to fight are you?”

  Raldar lowered his sword. “I must fight for this village. And for my family.”

  “Don't go, Father.” Jennifer fell at his feet. “You'll die!”

  Raldar put his hand on her head. “Don't worry, I'll be back. I promise you.”

  Jennifer heard his words but she didn't believe them.

  Raldar went to the door. “Stay inside. Lock this door and don't open it for anyone except for me.”

  Eliden nodded and helped Jennifer back to her feet.

  Raldar opened the door and Jennifer got a glimpse of horses racing past and screams of villagers in the distance.

  And then he was gone.

  Eliden went to the door and braced it with a wood plank. She wiped the tears from her cheek. “Get to the kitchen, Jennifer.”

  Jennifer aimlessly walked into the kitchen and collapsed at the table. “What can we do, Mother?”

  “We stay here until your father returns.”

  “What if they get in here?”

  Eliden opened a drawer and pulled out some very large knives. “We protect ourselves.” She handed one to Jennifer.

  Jennifer moved the knife from hand to hand, testing the weight and balance. “I don't know if I can do this, Mother.”

  “I won't let anyone hurt you.”

  A banging at the front door silenced them. Jennifer went to get up. “It could be father.”

  Eliden pushed Jennifer back down to the chair. She moved in front of her
daughter and held her knife up. “It's not your father.”

  The door bent inwards as someone outside slammed against it. Jennifer and her mother could only watch in terror. The wooden bar would only hold for so long.

  The door splintered into pieces as a large barbarian with a club burst through. Jennifer and Eliden screamed.

  The barbarian grinned a mouth of rotten teeth and slowly moved towards the two women. “Don't worry pretty ladies, I'll be gentle.”

  He let out a cackling laugh that sent a chill down Jennifer's spine.

  Eliden pushed Jennifer behind her. “Run now. I'll take care of him.”

  “I can't leave you alone, Mother!”

  Eliden looked back at Jennifer. “Go to the forest. I'll be right behind you.”

  Jennifer shook her head over and over again. Her eyes watered up and she could barely see.

  “Go!” Eliden screamed. “I won't tell you again.”

  Her mother had never screamed like that before. Jennifer stood up and went to the window in the kitchen. It was just big enough for one person to fit through. She unlocked the window and it swung outwards.

  Jennifer looked back at her mother and the barbarian circling each other. She knew that her mother wouldn't be able to handle the barbarian alone. But her mother would surely die if she stayed. If she ran away it would give her mother a chance to run too.

  She jumped through the window and landed in a pile of hay next to their hut. Horses galloped past her. She stood up to see a villager in a field get stabbed through the chest with a spear from a mounted barbarian.

  Chapter Six

  There was chaos everywhere Jennifer looked. She spotted the Dark Forest and saw a path that looked free of barbarians. When her mother escaped, she would hopefully see the same thing.

  Jennifer sprinted in the direction of the trees. She jumped over a bloody corpse and spotted a barbarian coming her way but she hadn't been noticed yet. Jennifer ducked into one of the huts and waited for the barbarian to pass.

  She noticed a body laying next to her. She didn't want to look down at it but she couldn't help herself.

  Hugo the stable boy lay there, his eyes open and lifeless. A large chunk of flesh had been taken out of his shoulder. He wasn't going to be getting up ever again.

  Jennifer closed her eyes tight. She wanted to mourn her first crush but there was no time. She had to get to safety and meet up with her mother. Jennifer peeked outside the hut and saw that the coast was clear.

  “Take a deep breath, Jennifer,” she told herself. “You can do this.”

  Jennifer took her own advice and then flew out of the hut. She ran as fast as her legs would allow her. Bodies were piled up all around as she went by. Jennifer hoped that her father wasn't one of them.

  She was close to the forest when she heard shouting behind her. She turned around to see two barbarians moving towards her.

  Jennifer let out a blood-curdling scream as she scrambled to the tree line.

  The two barbarians broke into a sprint for the girl as they chased her into the forest. “Where are you going, pretty girl?”

  Jennifer could hear them yelling at her to stop. She ignored them as she ran through the trees. The sun barely made it through the canopy of foliage, making it too dark to see where her pursuers were.

  The will to survive propelled Jennifer faster and faster. Their shouts were farther and farther behind her as she made her way deeper into the Dark Forest.

  A thick root ruined everything.

  Jennifer toppled face first into the cool soil of the forest. It took her a moment to shake the daze from her eyes. Then she remembered she was in mortal danger.

  She flipped over to find the two barbarians hovering over her.

  The uglier one with a scar over his eyes dropped his club to the ground. “You're fast for a girl,” he muttered.

  “Please don't hurt me!” Jennifer pleaded.

  The two barbarians looked at each other and let out a howling laughter.

  Jennifer hoped her death would be quick.

  Chapter Seven

  The Rangers of the Dark forest rushed to the village of Icebor. The sounds of battle in the distance excited them.

  Arkam led his brothers to the edge of Icebor and stopped them. “Hold here, Rangers.”

  Blood dripped from Demorac's wound. Arkan knew he should've stayed behind but there was no telling him.

  Garel wiped his blonde hair from his eyes. “What's the plan, Boss?”

  Arkan looked out at the village. Barbarians were everywhere, raiding, lighting homes on fires, and killing anyone that lived.

  “I want you each in groups of two. Garel and Belim together. Demorac and Farondil.”

  The other rangers looked at one another. “And what about you, Arkan?” Farondil asked.

  Arkan ignored the question at first. “I want you to spread out around the village. Contain the barbarians to inside the village. Save anyone you can.” Arkan looked at Farondil. “I will take out any barbarians that happen to escape. Am I clear?”

  Each ranger nodded in succession.

  Arkan took an arrow out of his quiver. “Then let's get to work.”

  The Rangers of the Dark Forest spread out around the outskirts of the village. Each group moved into the village while Arkan stayed outside, overlooking the scene with his bow drawn.

  Even with his wound, Demorac was stealthiest of the rangers. The spiked mace he held in his grip was anything but. Demorac slipped to side of one of the huts as cover. He could hear a barbarian running around the corner. He swung his mace in a deadly arc and caught the barbarians square in the chest without even revealing himself. A fountain of blood erupted as the dirty man fell to the ground.

  Farondil used that chance to stick a barbarian in the back with his rapier. The enemy turned around with blood dripping from his mouth and grinned. The barbarian lifted his heavy axe above his head and Farondil took a step back. But the barbarian couldn't hold the weight and his whole body fell backwards as he exhaled his last breath.

  Belim was big, round, and loud. He didn't care about stealth. He walked into the middle of the road with his heavy warhammer in his hands. “Who will dare fight me?”

  Three barbarians took him up on his challenge but they didn't know what they were getting into. Belim might be slower but he was as deadly as any other ranger. The fight was over in seconds and only took Belim two swings of his hammer.

  But he hadn't noticed the fourth barbarian sneaking behind his back.

  Garel jumped out of the darkness and onto the back of the barbarian. Two blades crisscrossed around the enemy's throat and Garel sliced. They spun around, dancing until the barbarian was dead.

  Belim turned around in shock and then let out a laugh. “Trying to steal one of my kills again, Garel?”

  Garel stood up and wiped the blood off his daggers. “Just saving your life, asshole.”

  Arkan watched the two groups of rangers take out barbarian after barbarian. One slipped out of the village, thinking that he could escape. But Arkan had different plans for him.

  He let an arrow slip away that traveled across the village and connected with the back of the barbarian's neck. Almost took his head clean off. Arkan didn't revel in his kill but nocked another arrow and looked for his next target.

  A scream came from the trees behind him.

  Arkan whipped around and stared into the Dark Forest. Someone needed his help.

  His brothers didn't really need him anymore. They had already taken care of most of the raiding party. Arkan made the decision to investigate.

  He ran into the Dark Forest with his bow ready. Arkan had only heard one scream but that was all he needed to pinpoint the location. He moved through the trees like a bird, quiet and quick.

  Arkan saw two barbarians with their backs to him standing over a woman. He didn't need to wait to see what their intention might be. He let an arrow loose that hit one right in the back. It only took another second for Arkan to no
ck another.

  When the barbarian noticed his friend fall over. He looked over his shoulder right on time to get an arrow through the eye. The woman screamed as the corpse fell on her.

  Arkan rushed over. The girl strained to get the heavy man off her but Arkan was able to push him off with just one foot.