EL: Ios' Secret Mission Part 4

Five days later, Ios was still tracking Gwerder in the woods. How did he manage to lose sight of a dragon that large so fast? Especially when it was injured and staggering! He would catch up to them and show them what he was really made of. He knew he would.

"They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, Ios. Put an arrow in one... and even a dragon would fall. You might just be able to buy some time in the fight if you place just one arrow sensibly." Iilah's voice echoed in his head, still slightly strained, but he could feel the strength returning to her.

"I hear you. But what about Gwerder? That armour is going to be a problem..."

"There are gaps in the plate at his joints, child. Remember, every chain has its chink. That mail can be punched through it you strike hard enough. Take out an elbow, a shoulder and he cannot strike back. Maybe he won't be able to lift his shield. A knee..." He could hear her laugh bitterly in his head. "He won't be able to stand. You might be smaller and less armoured, Ios, but you are faster, more agile. Use that to your advantage."

"Understood." He stalked further through the undergrowth, crushed under the weight of giant feet.

Meanwhile....

Hass lay slumped on Viraku'un's back, exhausted and terrified. He didn't know who had attacked them and forced them to land. He didn't know how to find his allies anymore. He didn't even know if they wanted him with them now, since he had screwed up this escape so badly. The spy farmer and his footmen were most likely dead now, killed by the cloaked assailant who had chased them from the city. Shit. Another general as well. It was too late for him to turn back now. His dissent would know no forgiveness. He was to be killed if he returned.

He remembered how his parents had been killed in a raid on his village in his childhood. How he had been taken in by the soldiers. Raised by them. The only reason he would turn his back on the Iukan army, his family, was because of the leaders. And the false stigma surrounding mixed race elves. His father was a pure Iukan, his mother was only half-blood though. She used to make small lights with nothing but her hands, just to entertain him. She would play the flute to help him sleep and show him how to live off the forest. He missed them both so much.

He never missed the funny looks people gave her though, or the jibes from other children. It had disappeared when he was with the soldiers, however. When he had a sword or dagger on his belt, or a spear in his hands. Strength and power had influence over all of them. The soldiers never knew of his lineage, would they have cared? Maybe, once the Nameless appeared. Either way, he had only left to correct things. To end the persecution. Simple kindness and tolerance did not exist for people like him, you had to have more power than everyone else to be accepted. Joining The Nameless was simply going to be a stage for him to remove the leaders. Once they were gone, better people would fill in the empty spaces and change the elves for the better. One race. One people, together. Surely that would be best?

"Stop thinking about it so much, Hass. Just rest. They could be back any minute. If you worry about things you may be too strung-out to fight." Viraku'un boomed in his head. He grinned. His dragon would do anything for him. People always judged him too, they thought he would be a brute since he was so large, but really, he only wanted to protect Hass. They meant the world to each other. They never argued, never disagreed. Their thoughts were almost as one, nothing was hidden. Hass closed his eyes.

"Your injuries are still far from good" He said, knowing, feeling, that he was still to recover. There was a big rip in the membrane of his right wing, the only reason the hadn't flown away. The green dragon and her rider were lucky they had decided to not finish them off after that. An ending like that would have been pretty embarrassing.

"Correct. I lost a fair bit of blood. But I'll last yet. You are certain you are uninjured." Again, a statement, not a question.

"Also correct, friend. If you need to stop, please, do. I'll sleep for now. Wake me if we reach our new allies."

"Good. And don't fret about me, you know I will be fine." A few moments of silence passed and Hass was ready to slip away into sleep when Viraku'un sent him another thought. A smell this time, which was a strange sensation. He hadn't quite got used to that yet. But this smell was unsettling. Dirt, wood... normal in a forest... but also cloth. Leather. Sweat. Steel. An elf. He was catching up to them. Close enough for that much detail to reach them. They were going to have to finish him off after all...

A few hundred meters behind them, Ios still followed them. Hearing something ahead but not seeing, he rushed forwards, unslinging his bow and knocking his arrow. Now he would end this!