By J.C. Witman
Wilna watched as the red leaf gently floated to the ground. Piles of the dry detritus crunched under her horse’s hooves as it trotted along. She pulled her hood up over her head. The temperature had been overwhelmingly humid earlier in the day but became increasingly chilly as clouds covered the sky.
Her body shivered as a cool gust cut through her remaining armor. She was forced to shed the majority of her heavy outfit to travel swiftly. For that purpose, it was a decision that seemed to work well, but with the current weather it had since become a hindrance to her mission, and she now missed the extra layers.
Her people, those who live in the Oberron territory, were being invaded by an enemy from the north. The attack was sudden and fierce. The local Oberronian forces fought valiantly but were soon going to be overrun. It was Wilna who found herself tasked with reporting the incident to the signal tower. She had ridden all night and pushed her horse to its limit. Now, daring to allow herself to relax, she sat back on the saddle. The battle was miles behind her, and she was nearing her destination.
“It’s gonna be ok,” she said, patting the mane of the tired animal. “We both will be able to rest soon and get a nice meal. You would like that, wouldn’t you?”
The horse let out a friendly whinny. Then its ears went down. It reared back on its hind legs and with new energy, took off through the woods. Wilna held on tightly to the reins.
“Whoa!” she cried. “Stop!”
The pleas were to no avail as she found herself clenching onto the horse’s neck for her life. Looking to the trees beside her, she could see the reason for the panic. A shape was running beside them. It let out a beastly howl. The sound was one she recognized as the war cry of the enemy invading their land.
Large raindrops began to fall from the heavens, drenching her overcoat. The surrounding leaves shook, and the branches swayed from the wind which started to blow violently.
“Come on!” she shouted, urging the panicked animal on as it ran through the forest.
In an instant, her hunter leaped from the tree line and knocked her off her horse. As the frightened animal ran off into the distance, she fell to the ground. Rolling a couple of times, pain shot through her body before her training kicked in, and she was back on her feet.
Wilna drew the sword from her belt and held it ready. Drops of water rolled off the metal instrument as she waited. The adversary, who had been invisible to her a moment ago, now stood before her. Its translucent body shimmered like a ghost, but rain dropped off it like a corporeal being. Clear, knife-like claws sprouted from the tips of its long, thin fingers.
The creature was humanoid, but the way it moved was less than human. Its head shifted around like it was searching for something before it focused on her. She noticed red blood dripping off the end of its nails, and she quickly realized it was hers. The creature had sliced right through her armor and across her back. Blood now seeped through the open wound.
Wilna knew she had to make it to the signal tower soon. If the king was not alerted, he would not send his army and all would be lost. She swung her sword at the creature, which ducked under the weapon, forcing her to adjust her position to avoid another strike from its deadly claws. Behind her enemy, she could see the silhouette of the towering building in the darkened sky. Panting, she winced in pain as she removed a dagger hidden under her cloak. She whipped the small jagged weapon towards the creature, striking it in the chest. It let out a horrible cry.
Taking advantage of the opportunity found in the creature’s distress, she rushed off into the trees. Tearing through the underbrush, she ignored the cuts and scrapes sustained from the branches, which saw fit to aid in her pursuer’s efforts to slow her down. Any sign of the enemy was covered by the swaying trees and the roaring wind. Wilna wiped the water away from her eyes but was blinded by the mud which coated her hands. Striking a tree, she fell to the ground with a thud.
Her mind clouded over before she snapped back to the reality of the dire situation before her. Wilna steadied herself as she got to her feet. To her relief, she saw the haven of the signal tower in front of her. The stone structure reached up into the heavens as the storm beat down.
Moving forward, her motion was labored from her injuries. She got no farther than a few feet before her enemy leaped out from the brush. It pounced on her. Razor-sharp claws cut through her armor and dug into her skin. She could smell its rancid breath as she peered up into the creature’s reptilian eyes. It seemed to savor the moment. The moment of its victory.
Wilna remembered the sword in her hand. She gripped it tightly and thrust it upward into the attacker’s stomach. It fell off of her and thrashed around on the ground like a snake. Getting to her feet, Wilna raised her weapon and lopped off its head. Then, stumbling forward, she made her way to the signal tower.
“Let me in!” she said as she banged on the door. “We are being invaded! Light the signal fire.”
A small slit in the door opened up.
“Who are you?” The gruff voice said. “Why should we trust you?”
Without responding, Wilna held up the creature’s head. There was a moment of silence before the door opened, and she was let in.
Tales From Orin Nodd 