Doors of the Dark by Gregory Mattix

Author:Gregory Mattix [Mattix, Gregory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-12-06T05:00:00+00:00

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The bandit group attacked as Nera expected when her companions approached the choke point in the road. The dark elves were strangely silent compared to the heavy footsteps and jingling armor of the warriors in her party. She hated to think how loud they would’ve been had they not been trying to move stealthily.

Nera watched from her position partway up the cave wall, nearly even with the rise where the dark elves had waited. She had slowly picked her way along the edge of the cavern while her friends advanced. Her initial count had been correct—eight of the bandits awaited.

The dark elves announced their presence with the pair of archers loosing arrows on the group’s position while the five swordsmen swiftly charged. The companions took shelter by pressing up against the ridge of stone with Yosrick and Idrimel keeping their shields raised. One arrow thunked against Yosrick’s shield while the other arrow splintered against a boulder next to Waresh’s cheek. Two more volleys landed but without causing damage before they had to ready themselves to meet the attacking swordsmen.

Four swordsmen and one swordswoman, Nera corrected herself.

Athyzon, Arron, Waresh, and Yosrick met their attackers head on. The dark elves were lithe and moved gracefully, their builds comparable to Endira’s, but they had dusky skin and shocks of silver or white hair. Their eyes gleamed like gemstones in the faint light, blues and greens and purples. They carried slender swords and wore some kind of lacquered armor, perhaps fashioned from the shell or scales of some type of monster from the underground.

Idrimel held her holy symbol up and chanted a quick prayer. Pure white light bloomed from the boulder nearest the priestess, just behind the warriors. The dark elves cried out, trying to shield their eyes from the brilliance. The companions, with the light at their backs, took advantage and attacked.

Nera returned her focus to the wizard, who had remained behind on the rise. She saw the mage was a female, with long silver hair pulled back in a topknot and eyes of deep violet. She wore maroon and gold robes that shimmered like silk. The two archers had advanced, but they stopped at Idrimel’s light spell and fired two more arrows just over the heads of their comrades.

One glanced off Athyzon’s breastplate, while the other struck Arron in the bicep. Nera winced as he stumbled, but he quickly recovered, tearing the arrow free and casting it aside. The clash of steel rang out, echoing in the cavern as her friends met the charge.

Must’ve barely grazed Arron, she thought, surprised.

A rumbling sound drew her attention. The dark-elven mage had just finished casting a spell. Spikes of stone rose up from the road just behind the companions, cutting off their escape. Nera thought it resembled some great stone monster’s teeth slowly closing on them. She glanced up into the darkness just to make sure a second set wasn’t descending.

“Ready when you are, Nera,” called Endira telepathically. The elf had hidden herself just out of sight of the battle.

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