Delphi I
Delphi IDelphi_I/I>
Slowly the bandits made their way up the winding mountain trail. They were an unimpressive sight, their mounts thin and malnourished, their clothing filthy and their armour pitted and rusted. Still their numbers were considerable and they carried their assortment of weaponry with grim professionalism.
Atop a rocky out cropping further up the mountainside Delphi knelt watching the advancing column of men with weary eyes. His thin woollen robes were drawn tightly about him but still the winter gale cut through chilling him to the bone and leeching away what little energy he had.
He sighed to himself quietly as he took in the sight of the advancing brigands. For more than a week now reports had been coming in, along with terrified refugees, of this band’s brutal attacks as they marauded across the surrounding lands. Word had been sent to the Baron of course, but no aid had yet been forthcoming. Perhaps, he thought in his more generous moments, the messenger had been waylaid and killed by outriders. More likely the fat old fool had decided that sending new workers for the mines after the raiders moved on would be cheaper and easier than mobilising his tiny garrison. Either way there would be no help coming, no gleaming silver cavalry riding over the horizon to rescue the fifty miners who even now armed themselves as best they could with picks and sharpened shovels. Fifty good men preparing to die to protect their families who were even now cowering in the dank mine shafts beneath the village. No, he consoled himself, this was the only way. The only way to defend this people and his home, regrettable as it was. Still it was with some measure of reluctance that he turned to the creature that stooped next to him upon the ledge.
“You see my lord the invaders come to pillage the mines, to take by force that which we have earned through tribute to your grace.”
Beside him the great brown furred Kri raised its heavy horned head. Coal black eyes disdainfully regarding the frail mortal before speaking.
“We see Shaman; we see and are unmoved. What does this matter to my master? These mortals are of no consequence to us and we have no need to fear them.”
“No” The witch replied biting back a harsher response “but they will slaughter us and with us dead who will bring tribute too mollify your lord?”
“Others will come” The giant snorted “the ores are rich your baron will not let the mines lie empty for long.”
“True but will the new miners know the ways of your masters court? Will they know how to please your lord and be careful not to intrude upon his domain? They will not have me to guide them in these matters for I will lie dead beneath the rusting blades of the bandits below. Who will your lord blame when his tributes fail to come? Who will he punish? You perhaps?”
The spirit bristled at this reminder of its bondage to the Gemlord who dwelt beneath the mountain and for a moment Delphi feared he had gone too far. Then the spirit shook its silver beard giving a whinnying sigh “We will never know, I will stop the invaders here and now. But the price will be steep. Blood requires blood in turn to be paid at the next moon. Is this a sacrifice you are willing to make?”
The young man hesitated for a moment before he stiffly bowed “It will be done lord” Without a further word the Kri threw back its great head, its three arching horns shining in the fading sunlight, and issued forth a deep resounding bellow that echoed through the mountains valleys and ravines. Soon answering cries came forth from the caverns and deep places of the earth.
Delphi watched dispassionately as the soil around the advancing column began to churn sending their horses rearing in blind panic and hurtling several of the hapless riders from their saddles to plunge back down the Cliffside. Hulking Jokun armed with clubs of carved basalt dragged their broad muscled bodies out of the seething earth to strike down the raiders.
The bandits fought back as best they could but on the narrow track their numbers availed them nothing and their frantic blades were unable to pierce the elementals skin of living crystal. Within moments the shattered remnants of the band fled down the sloping trail leaving their dead where they fell.
Far above the Witch rose stiffly from the cold rock and bowed to his spirit ally before beginning the long trek back to the mining camp and his home. Now came the hardest part of all it was time to inform his people of their salvation and the price they would soon have to pay.
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