Commando Part 6

The commando awoke the very next day with a cat patting him on the face with its paw. He scratched it on the head, but it ran away when he tried to pet it. Maurice got out of bed quickly so he could get going with the day. He took little time in getting his clothes on and donning his travelers equipment. There came a knock at the door. Maurice went to the door as the person knocked again. He opened the door to find Brittany at the door with her own things packed up and ready for travel. Several servants were behind her waiting help them carry luggage. A few knocked on the doors to the Unseen Bears’ rooms to wake them up. Both smugglers/fighters waited for the Unseen Bears before going down for breakfast. Amonif was the first to come out then Hilastes whom allowed the servants to carry their things over to their steeds.

      Right after breakfast the quartet went straight for the stables. King Hornbrand and his son Prince Kulem had other matters to tend to with the Court. No one really said their goodbyes to them save for the servants, Head Butler, and the Doorward’s third apprentice. A Lieutenant of the Ayalim Guard escorted them through the market areas, enclaves for miners, and barracks. The stables were large enough o house an entire herd of Yackdreth. At these stables stood their steeds and pack mule Yakox loaded with their provisions and rewards. Not saying anything to the handlers the quartet paid the handlers and went on their way. As they made their way through the cobbled streets heads turned to watch the Unseen Bears with their Cabrakan-Tadi. Brittany turned to Maurice who tied his Yakox to his Goat Steed. She touched him on the arm getting his attention. The commando turned to face her. She blinked slowly to him. Maurice put a hand on her chin clasping it a little.

      They mounted their steeds as soon as they reached the Gates of Bhastroick IV. Ayalim’s Gates of Bhastroick was built six centuries ago to replace the old gates, which were destroyed in a war still recalled by many dwarves. To them these gates stood as a symbol of strength, determination, will, and triumph against the savages of Sarcagos. Tales say the hordes of the Sarcagos were led by an Overlord Vampire named Zadimus the Heinous Prince of Mount Exoris. The gates stood several stories high with a bonded arch and two statues depicting royal guards for pillars holding the archway.

      Passing the gates the quartet convoy came to the road. On the road they headed straight for the Qad Rise with no time to waste. At a quickened pace the party traversed the road passing a village or two. There were also some rains along this road including a shack.

      The Qad Rise was covered in a forest of Troll trees, wormwoods, and thick Dwarf Ferns. It was a dense forest that engulfed the entire Qad Rise and stretched over miles upon miles over the central parts of Sarcagos. This dense forest started about half a mile away from an old farm. Without hesitation they went in the forest following the road. As they ascended further up the slopes they party came to the borders of Ayalim. In the road was a stone carved into the shape of an axe head that marked Ayalim’s border. At this particular border marker stood a gang of seven rather determined hit men, bounty hunters, thugs and hired killers. Each one of these mercenaries had a distinct feature about them.

      One of them in the center had a large built with big arms, strong legs, and a big head. This brute looking hit man had a scared face, half of which was covered with a black mask. His left arm was decorated with tattooed armbands, and scars. The other arm had an arm brace of latched rings wielding a long dagger with marks on it. Next to the black masked hit man was a bounty hunter wearing highwaymen’s clothing and donning a tricorn hat. He was armed with two cutlasses. On the other side of the hit man stood another hit man wearing a duster coat and armed with machetes. Two of the mercenaries were thugs dressed in old looking leather jerkins and jeans armed with a club and a sledge hammer. The sixth mercenary was a hired killer covered head to toe in tattered rags for a cloak. The cloaked killer wielded a katana. Behind the katana wielding killer stood an orc armed with a mace and a war axe. These seven mercenaries blocked their path.

      Maurice turned to Brittany then to Amonif and Hilastes whom nodded to him. All four dismounted forced into a melee combat. They could take out seven mercenaries here and now except the noise of their guns would attract others. The commando grabbed his pole arm sword; Brittany went for her knives whereas the Unseen Bears brought their iron knuckles, and quarterstaff.

      Each member of the quartet chose an opponent to face. Maurice chose the black masked hit man, Amonif too the machete wielding hit man, Brittany took on the bounty hunter and Hilastes took the killer. The commando faced this black masked hit man who held a very overconfident smirk. All four of the commando’s party were ready to face their opponents. In seconds the fight began between mercenaries and the quartet of Vestrisians. Maurice dodged the first strike from the black mask who spun around to grab a machete off the duster coat hit man. Brittany had to dodge and jump back as the bounty hunter moved in. Hilastes blocked every blow from the killer while hitting him every three or four blocks. After the black masked hit man took a machete from the other hit man, his partner attacked Amonif.

      The Unseen Bear caught both the hit man’s arms as he tried to strike down with both blades. Amonif twisted the hit man’s left arm at the wrist forcing the hit man to drop the weapon. He punched the hit man in the face then went for his gut. His opponent dropped to the ground unconscious. Acting fast Amonif picked up a machete and threw it at one of the twins. The blade struck the intended target instantly killing one of the thugs. Amonif turned to the other twin who fled. In a split second the Unseen Bear gave chase.

      Maurice had some trouble fighting this black masked hit man who used the machete against him. As he fought he caught glimpses of how Brittany and Hilastes were faring. Both of them were still alive. Brittany was still dodging and blocking the cutlasses. Hilastes had smacked the killer dozens of times before knocking him flat on his back on the ground. Once the killer was down Hilastes finished him off. He struck down on the head repeatedly. Hilastes turned to the orc who charged at him with berserk rage.

      Maurice focused more on the hit man gaining the upper hand against the black masked hit man. It took a while to bring this hit man to his knees. As he wore the hit man down Maurice hit him in the stomach with the butt of his pole arm Brittany stabbed the bounty hunter numerous times.

      Returning to the hit man Maurice saw he brought the black masked mercenary to his hands and knees. Realizing he had the advantage the commando pushed the hit man upright. He faced the defeated hit man then drove his pole arm sword into his chest. Maurice’s opponent collapsed on the dirt face down. The black masked hit man laid in the dirt as a lifeless corpse. Brittany took both of the cutlasses and the tricorn hat. She placed it on her head right as Hilastes broke the orc’s neck. The large Unseen Bear had over powered the orc using his Quarterstaff skills.

      Amonif returned with the corpse of the second twin thug. He dropped it on the other corpse then stormed over to the duster coat wearing hit man. With one hand Amonif lifted the hit man’s head to find he had committed suicide through poison injection. Realizing he was dead Amonif flipped him over to take the machetes and any loot. Hilastes looted the orc and the killer of their weapons leaving the bodies where they lay. Maurice turned his attention to the dead black masked hit man to search for anything worth taking. He took the hit man’s long dagger that had twenty-five notches. Each one represented a kill the hit man made over time. Maurice took the dagger then rummaged through the pockets and found an envelope. He opened it to find that these mercenaries were hired to hunt them down.

      On the letter were the symbols of the Ruthless Hordes, the Omnir Raiders, and a Dwarf Warlord. To him it was obvious he had pissed off a number of people already. It was now clear a group of powerful people wanted them dead. A bounty was on their heads or at least on his head.