A Steem Monsters Story Pirate Archer Part 2

A Steem Monsters Story

Pirate Archer

Part 2

“Took us a while to find you, old friend”

“You always did like to consider your self the captain of my ship. I didn’t think I would ever set sail with you again.”

“Aye but these are dark times and they are taking anyone willing to fight back. This young mage is strong as any and I knew your skill would impress him.”

“Ya, he showed me an attack like mine but with magic. Fast enough to hit two foes at once.”

“Same as you. And we need that skill now for the enemy has the numbers. We have been winning battles but losing ground each time. We have to find a way to do better. That was his mission and he found you and them.”

The archer turned to look and saw Cyclops talking to a water elemental and an Elf walking around that look out of place. In the back, he could see one other mage that he had heard of.

“Is that Xia Seachan?”

“Aye, she summons for us. She will bring forth the beast that can’t join us on land when it is time for battle”

“This is no the group I thought would be with him.”

“His powers weaken mages and make regular fighters strong. We feed off him so it works well.”

The rest of the night was spent talking and meeting the others. I was clear that the boat as in a hurry. He knew magic was pushing the boat at a speed that a normal wind could never match. It was clear that they had somewhere to be and he wanted to know more. The Ruler stepped out and had a worried look on his face.

“What’s wrong”
“Nothing that you need to worry about, but your first meeting with the blight might be sooner than I had hoped. I wanted to work with the other archers see if any might e able to match your skills. But we have been called to the front to relive a group that had been fighting for a while. It is best you get some rest.”

With that, he headed down to sleep.

The next morning he woke up and felt something odd. The ship wasn’t moving. He wasn’t sure how that was possible. Then he saw why. They had docked. The speed the ship must have traveled with seemed impossible. Yet everyone was getting ready to head out and he went back to grab his things. He was going to join this way sooner than he thought.

He hopped on the back of one of the wagons and as they headed out he could see soldiers returning from the front. Each looked as if they hadn’t been able to sleep for days. In that group walking back, he saw a face that used to worry him.

“Is that Alric?”

“Yes, he had been holding the line in the fronts for weeks. It has been amazing to hear about the power he has. But even though he brought so much down on them they still inch forward.” said the captain.

“It wasn’t that long ago he hunted me. His power is talked about as if he is above us all yet he seems so normal standing there.”

“Wait till you see what he was fighting you will understand”

The traveled for a few days passing other troops from the other lands. It was clear that this threat that got a few of the clans to work as one. He never thought he would see that in his life

You could smell the battlefield before you could see it. The blight brought a new kind of rot that was killing the land. As he came upon the battlefield he was shocked. The line stretched as far as the eye could see in both directions. He could see all kinds of magic being used to push back the beast that charged at them.

“Okay, men we are going to be trying something different. Our missing is no to just defend but attack. We will be able to move faster than most groups. We are going to try and find some answers as to what is causing this.” said the Ruler of the Sea.

With that, they headed off. Naga warriors leading the pack easily cutting through the first beast they faced. He was watching the sky and was able to do his job and make sure all the birds never got close them. The animals they fought seemed normal but something had changed them. Their skin was black and their blood was a toxic substance that burned at the ground.
“What could cause this to the land?”

“We don’t know yet it started a lot smaller but has continued to grow. We worry that this will be the end if we can’t figure it out.”

They had broken through the line and as they moved deeper into the blight fewer animals or creatures came at them but a new feeling of dread crept into him. It was hard to explain but he knew something was watching him. The feeling kept with him and so he started to look for it. He thought he knew where it was so he fired his bow. Two shots like always headed toward nothing until the struck something and it fell.

“What is that? Asked the Ruler of the Sea.

“I am not sure I just felt it was there. It looks like an eye”

It was an eye of some kind that had been watching them. Yet no one had been able to see it till he shot it. The group had found something new and they headed out. On the way back the attacked got intense. It was like something was making the beast come after them trying to stop them. He had thought the group was lost when Xia summoned a Frost Giant that has saved them. The giant had been overwhelmed but bought them enough time to reach the front. Their friends shopped the pursuit and they made it back to the rear command.

“The Ruler and Alric want to talk with you,” said the Captain

As he walked in the tent it was something to see the old grey wizard standing next to the young man they called the ruler. It was clear that Alric sill had command but this young mage was something special.

“How did you find it?” said Alric

“It was just a feeling that I was being watched. I couldn’t see it but something was there watching me so I shot it.”

“Many have reported that feeling when we have send scouts into the blight. None had ever been able to figure out why.”

“Well not many can fire as fast as I and it was the second shot that hit. It dodged the first.”

“It has a skin that seems to be able to blend into anything. It can float through the air. And it has to be the reason we can never find the summons in the blight. They always know where we are. This was really good work even for an old pirate.”

“Well, I have heard that I have a old summoner to thank for keeping this away from Azmare.”
“I have done my part when I can. Yet this might change things. We need to get this info to the others.”

As they started to send out the message he stepped outside. And the Ruler came to join him.

“Your instincts have given us our first real clue to what is going on here.”

“I guess but did seem that special I just fired my bow. And really it was that power you have that let me shoot that fast. We did this together even if you don’t want to take the credit.”

“I had that same feeling but never thought to just follow my gut and fire. I have run through this woods before with all my speed always a step behind them. Now I know why.”

“Do you think this can really change things?”

“I think it will help us figure out just who is causing this. It has to be a group of summoner but we have never been able to find them. That will be the first step to stopping this.”

That night he stared at the sky for a long time before going to bed. He had seen the blight and it was worse than he had thought. To think the world might be overrun. He had done the small part but the real fight was to come. Sure they might find the summoners or others behind this darkness but defeating them would be another issue.

Image by @EdibleCthulhu

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