The Elf, The Dwarf, and The Minotaur, Part Five

Max Egorov
Sep 7, 2018 · 4 min read

"I thought the imperial navy cleared these waters of those things." Hillevi said.
Natia breathed a sigh of relief. At least for the moment Hillevi was no longer interested in her. Though with a Kraken approaching that was a small comfort.
"They did," Barthia said, "Look at its size and the dark shade of its carapace. This one is old, possibly ancient. It may have been sleeping in the depths for centuries, that storm last night must have woken it."
Or it could have been my stopping that storm, Natia thought to herself. Like people monsters responded differently to magic, a fire spell cast on a wendigo would set it aflame while casting the same spell on a dragon would make it laugh. A spell to calm a storm could very well enrage a slumbering Kraken. For all she knew Natia may have interrupted a vital part of an ancient Krakens sleep cycle.
Natia dared to speak, "This town has an Imperial garrison right? I’m sure they can deal with this."
Barthia looked at her, then pointed to a dilapidated fort on top of the hill overlooking the town. Before she could say anything a burst of cannonfire rang out. As the shocked trio watched one of the cannonballs struck the bell tower blowing it apart and silencing the alarm.
"Yeah this town has a garrison, to its detriment." Barthia muttered. "Sarheena!" she called out.
Sarheena appeared in the doorway of the Gorgons Head followed by a mob of patrons. She must have been trying to keep them from stampeding out into the town square Natia thought. Judging by how calmly they filed out now whatever the former scout had said to them must have worked.
"The fort?" Sarheena asked.
"Yeah. Get up there as fast as you can and tell those reservists to stop firing." said Barthia. She looked back at the Kraken rampaging on the docks, "That beast doesn’t need their help with destroying the town."
Sarheena was off without a word. In her whole life Natia had never seen anyone move so swiftly.
"Now let’s go deal with our uninvited guest." Barthia said to Hillevi.
Hillevi already had her axes in her hands, "Don’t have to tell me twice."
"You two are going to fight that?!" Natia cried.
"Someone has to." Barthia replied.
Natia watched the duo heading away from the town square and toward the docks. She was suddenly struck by an immense feeling of guilt. What if she was responsible for the creatures awakening? What if she was leaving others to clean up her mess? What if what she was about to do was suicidely stupid?
"I can help you!" Natia called out. She couldn’t believe she was actually doing this.
Barthia and Hillevi paused and turned to face her. Hillevi spoke first, "What do you plan to do? Slap it into submission with your dainty little hands?"
"I can hit it with a bolt of lightning!" Natia proclaimed. She wasn’t certain that she could but the only other option was to stand by and do nothing and her conscience wouldn’t allow it.
"Ha, you think you’re some kind of battle mage?" Hillevi asked in a mocking tone.
"Not a battle mage, just one who’s willing to help!" Natia said defiantly.
"And at the moment that’s good enough for me." Barthia said, "How close do you need be to hit that monster?"
Natia hadn’t considered that. If she did somehow manage to conjure a bolt of lightning she would have to be precise lest she miss or worse strike Barthia or Hillevi. She had never been good at casting attack spells, on her native islands there was no need for destructive magic. She would have to be close to the creature, definitely closer than she was comfortable with.
Natia tried to put on a brave face and say something that was appropriately heroic, "As close as you can get me. We have no room for error." She wondered if that had been heroic enough. Hillevis stifled laugh told her it had not.
"Brave girl," Barthia said, "We’ll get you as close as we can. Don’t mess this up." Then Barthia turned and proceeded toward the docks.
"You can’t be serious!" Hillevi called after her, "You’re going to trust your fate to a child?"
"Wouldn’t be the first time." Barthia called back.
Hillevi glared at Natia, "Like she said, don’t mess this up." Without another word the giant warrior stomped after Barthia.
Natia took a moment to compose herself. Was she really going to risk her life? Did she just volunteer to risk her life? Was she about to fight side by side with a living legend? That final thought clinched it for her; Natia straightened up and after taking a deep breath and fell in behind the two warriors.

Max Egorov

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Author/ Digital Artist/ Drunk Historian. Welcome to the worlds inside my head. Enjoy the ride.