Kurbor’s escape
I write this as a broken man, both my body and my spirit... This was a sorry turn of events that almost had almost cost us our secrecy here in the North.
Up on the upper level of the keep was our captain, Thorontir, he had called those of us most faithful and trusted for an urgent council regarding the Old Forest. There too was Megorin, a stout companion who had lead us out of that dreaded forest now a week ago... And Agacyra... More I shall write of her later... It may even be rather humorous if I was in a more cheery mood.
The darkness still grows there and I am loath to journey back to the Old Forest... It was bad enough me hobbling up the flight of stairs, for my leg is not entirely healed. How could I possibly travel back to that forest or provide any use at all in this current state?
Not long into our council when we heard a frightful scream from down below, the other Rangers had rushed down to the ground floor, leaving me to hobble down the flight of stairs as swiftly as I could only to realize that Ulfey had unintentionally let our ‘prisoner’ out, and he was fleeing fast.
A prisoner... That is correct, it was not of my knowledge that we kept a prisoner here with us at our secret keep. Worse still to hear that said prisoner was in fact an Half-Orc... An unnatural breed of Man and Orc, a crafty one too as I’ve heard and alas come to bare witness...
Why someone thought it wise to bring the fiend to our keep when secrecy is the only thing keeping us from being assailed by the enemy I will never know. Apparently he had vital information that could have been useful to us... Bah! I’d rather not have our enemy in our very own quarters.
Paying little heed to Ulfey rather than checking if she was alright, I had rushed outside as fast as I could, limping still on my bad leg.
The night air was cold from a bitter North wind, it was raining heavily and as we desperately scanned the lay of the island for any sign of our escapee, it suddenly occurred to me that the only real way out of this place other than swimming a good league or two is to take a boat...
We rushed down to the makeshift harbor where we keep our boats, luckily none were stolen. My irritation grew as I was being soaked and I was constantly being rushed on by the others to keep up... Perhaps they ought to try sprinting through hard terrain after suffering as much as I did...
We decided to split up and search for our escapee, Agacyra and I were to press on as Megorin and Thorontir guarded the docks in case he would figure out he was in fact on an island and not on the main land.
Agacyra had given me her spear to assist my movement, and while it helped me greatly, I feel guilty now... Looking back on that night, it was plain that she needed that spear more than I... It could have saved her from a rather nasty fate...
The darkness grew in as night fully settled, and ahead of us was a cliff face with a small plateau on top, we could just make out a figure running swiftly in the distance. We gave pursuit almost to the foot of the cliff when an arrow flew merely inches beside me. I heard a thud, the arrow found its mark...
Looking back, I saw Agacyra, fear and bewilderment in her eyes, taking cover behind the cliff...
Agacyra was silent, though it was clear she was in great pain. Something then came over me, an unnatural burning rage, adrenaline filled every vein in my body as I scaled the cliff face, my leg stricken with pain, my arms aching though I scrambled up tirelessly to meet my foe on top of the plateau.
The burning rage continued as I stood merely feet away from our foe. I wanted to kill the wretch for striking a blow on Agacyra, and I should have done so too...
Suddenly I hear the distinct sound of a knife being thrown from behind me, cutting through the wind swiftly... Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my buttocks! For Agacyra was not the best of aim, I can’t blame her too for having only one eye...
Yet this did not hinder me... Yet, luckily the knife merely nicked the back side of my leg, I channeled that pain into a controlled burn, now with a spear AND a knife, I felt somewhat more capable, for I am a skilled fighter with spear, blade, knife and bow.
Speaking of bows... In the rush to pursue this Half Orc, I didn’t bring a bow... Curses! If I did, this entire ordeal would have been over before it began.
*There is a page ripped out here, though the diary entry continues as if nothing happened. There is yet another ink blotch on the side of the page... If only the Author paid more care to his diary.*
Thorontir and Megorin had sussed out what was happening and came to my aid, Agacyra had also somehow managed to get to where we were... Though she was in a terrible state, she had actually pulled out the arrow from her shoulder, a foolish mistake... I’d wager that hurt more than the knife cutting my leg.
We had managed to subdue the Half Orc, though I was merely inches from stabbing the beast in the back of the head. If it wasn’t for Thorontir’s command that we were to keep it alive. I would have struck the final blow.
