Creative Writing - A collaborative novelette | Part 5
Part 5 of the adventures of Ziona of Asgoroth
Part 1: https://steemit.com/novelette1/@themagus/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette
Part 2: https://steemit.com/writing/@mrprofessor/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette-or-part-2
Part 3: https://steemit.com/novelette1/@krabgat/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette-or-part-3
Part 4: https://steemit.com/writing/@twolittlebirds/creative-writing-a-collaborative-novelette-or-part-4
End of the part 4:
She got interrupted by a panical knocking on the door. Lothar opened. One of Ortis men ran in “They’re coming! They’re almost here, we have an hour, maybe two!” “Who is coming?” all of them yelled at the same time.
“The scorpion army! The souths are coming! They’re attacking us!”
To be continued ....
Part 5:
Aidan becomes aware of voices speaking in a low tone. His head felt like it exploded as the pain grips his whole body. A groan escapes his lips as he tried to lift up his head. His lips are dry and the thirst blocks his throat. “Where am I?”.
“He is awake.” The voices stopped and someone starts to open the door. It is a heavy wooden door which swings open on squeaking hinges. Aidan is now more aware of his environment. As the light fell through the open door, he can see that he is in a small room with dark walls. He is sitting now on a cold stone floor. A shadow fall over him and when he look up, he can see a silhouette of a man in the door.
“My friend Aidan”, the man address him. “What a surprise to find out that it was you the kidnappers brought in last night”. “I am not your friend”. Aidan’s voice is horst as it comes out of his dry throat. He licks over his lips to get some relief from his dry and cracked lips. “Who are you?”. The man chuckle. “In due time.”
After his visitors disappeared through the open door, Aidan lifts himself up on what feels like a bed with a blanket on it. It feels better than the cold floor. “Where am I?” The thought crosses his mind again. The last thing that he can remember was approaching the camp of the scorpion army. His mission was to find intel about what they suspect of a pending invasion. He was on his way to the rendezvous point to meet his informant, but he never reached it. He can remember a movement in the dark to his left and then his head exploded.
Ortis grab his sword from the table and run outside. His band of scouts has already regrouped and waiting for him. Lothar grabs his father and Ziona and pushes them out the back door. “It is time to go to the shelter”. In the stable Lother and Daewron saddled the horse while Ziona pack provision for their journey. They notice that the messenger has reached everyone in the town as people a running around in chaos but also in order. The soldiers are grouping and getting ready to face the enemy as the other town folks follow the escape procedure which is drill into them by Zarrot in case of an attack. Each person knows what to do and where to go.
As the three horses gallop over the open veld the riders keep a watchful eye on the environment. The two men are armed with longswords while Ziona prefers her longbow and arrows. They follow a rough path heading to a mountain range on the far horizon. The direction is north and therefore they are not expecting to meet any enemy as the attack is coming from the south. But scouting groups exploring the environment are always a possibility.
The King look sternly at his chiefs. “How did this happen? How is it that we had no warning of the pending invasion?” Most of the chiefs look down as they cannot provide an answer to the king. Only Zarrot meets the king’s glare. “Permission to speak, my king?”. “Speak, Zarrot. What is going on?” “The sentinels had on more than one occasion warned the war committee about a possible attack.” Zarrot looks to the king in the eyes while giving his answer. “I even lost one of my best men, Aidan, to be captured to get more information as my word was not good enough to prepare for an attack.” “Zarrot, your reports lack detail to take any decision on.” The king responds to Zarrot’s accusation. “Don’t try blown your own horn now. What is our situation and how must be counter this attack?”
Aidan opens his eyes. Something stirred his sleep. Motionless he lay on the bed waiting for whatever to happen again. There it is - a light knock on the door. A voice whispers his name. “Aidan, are you awake?” He slowly and quietly gets up from his bed and moves slowly over to the door. “Who is it?”. His voice is hoarse. “Prepare yourself for a meeting with the Hood. They need an update on your progress.”