5/1 Assault on Helms Valley

Baldarov unsheathed his sword immediately and moved one step forward and at the same time spin round to face his adversary. The shaking of the long grasses confirmed the presence of a watchful predator, distracted by the smell of fresh blood and the crying Tuster. Baldarov never thought he had to use his sword again so soon. It was still wet from the blood of the enemy he had fought back at the hut.

It was not long before Baldarov’s fears were confirmed. From the trees emerged a beast that was a common sight in these areas. This was the Utisger, a large carnivorous mammal. Usually fully-grown Utisgers like this one are rare and hard to find, as they seldom reach adulthood due to the fact that Utisgers hunt their own kind too. This particular one has a broken horn on its head that suggested it must have been broken during a fight with another Utisger. Its grey hide also had scars from many battles with other Utisgers too. However, its claws were still present, despite many of them being blunt due to constant usage. This Utisger is an old and experienced fighter and the strong scent of blood from Baldarov’s wounds and Tuster’s crying have drawn the creature towards them.

Baldarov knew he had very bad luck, running into a fully-grown Utisger at this time. But he knew he had to protect Tuster and he will fight to his last breath to protect the child even if he has to.

The Utisger spotted Badarov’s sword and took a step back. Baldarov knew the beast have met someone using a sword before so the encounter must have caused some injuries to it before. Hopefully, it can scare the beast off.

The Utisger eyed Baldarov’s blade with utmost caution. It suddenly bended its hind legs back and its body lowered. Its going to attack, screamed Baldarov’s head. Baldarov without hesitation rolled to his right, just as the beast’s jaws snapped shut at where Baldarov’s had was a minute ago. The sudden motion startled Tuster and he started crying.

No point in running or hiding anymore, thought Baldarov. The beast will hunt them down like prey. Baldarov tried to look for a weak spot on the Utisger but it was still quite dark despite the moonlight. Hopefully, the Utisger will be blinded by the darkness too.

No, wait, Ultisger use their sense of smell to hunt, Baldarov thought again. The Utisger lunged at him again. Baldarov tried to roll but his footing slipped under the slippery rock and he felled, with the Ultisger almost on him. Baldarov tried to roll to his side so he would not crash Tuster when he land. However, his head caught the side of a boulder and a sharp pain went through his mind, disrupting his thoughts. He managed to avoid the Ultisger somehow and he leaped to his feet again, sword risen and launched a forward thrust at the Ultisger’s eye. His blade caught something which Baldarov believed to be the Utisger’s eye and he heard the beast growled in pain. He leaped back as the Ultisger swung its claws wildly in an attempt to catch him.

Baldarov eyed the beast and smiled to himself. One more critical hit and it will go away, he thought. A trickle of blood went into his eyes. His head was bleeding from the knock on the boulder. This next round will determine who will survive. The Utisger next attack was sudden but it was wild and not aimed properly timed. Clearly, it was affected by the thrust Baldarov made earlier. Nevertheless, Baldarov sidestepped that attack easier and chopped off one of the paws of the Ultisger. The Ultisger screamed in agony and limped back into the forest, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.

After using more torn-up-clothes as bandages, Baldarov and Tuster waited for dawn to arrive at the edge of a clearing before making their way towards the nearest town, Resport.

Resport was a small town near the border of the Reachlands. Resport was founded by a merchant by the name of Res. He was the first person to started trading with the states to the east of the Elken Seas. However, monsters from Ulseeker’s Woods, disturbed by the cities’ citizens who tried to expand the city, soon attacked the town. Before long, the merchants fled, leaving the city inhabited. However, Resport soon became a home for bandits, rogues and homeless people. Without a person to lead them, stealing in the city became common and Resport became a city of thieves where only the most heartless, cruel and evil of people could survive.

Baldarov knew this was the only place he can find refuge from any people that tried to kidnap Tuster. He feared that Tuster may be the only heir to the Touren and Iysedin. Vinon and Carlem could be dead by now. Or they could be on their way to being sold as slaves. There were so many things unknown to him. Who were the people that attacked them? Could it be spies from the Banderland or Reachlands, sending their soldiers to attack them and kill of their families? How did they know that the prince of Banderlands and the princess of the elves are staying in Helms Valley? For now, these questions remained unanswered. The only thing on his mind should be to find a place where he can hide from his pursuers. Revenge and finding out the truth was to wait.

Baldarov checked up on Tuster. The boy was still sleeping. He must have cried himself to sleep. The whole thing had changed his whole life altogether. Just a few hours ago, this boy had a family and within a short time, everything was gone. He felt sad for the boy but he knew he had to protect him and bring him up so that the heir to the Banderlands will live on.

As Baldarov moved closer to closer to the city, he saw the white stones of the walls encircling the city. Resport was not a very large city, maybe the outer walls going about a mile or two encircling the city. There were buildings on either side of the two main roads which ran straight from the north gate to the south gate. The buildings encircled by these two roads housed more dangerous bunch of people of the city and was mostly avoided by the others. The homeless people which made up the majority of the city was scattered all over the rest of the place. Some made their homes along the streets, either begging for money or waiting for someone unwary to snatch their pockets. Those luckier ones found a piece of canvas to put over their heads as some form of shelter.

Baldarov knew he could blend into the people here in Resport. The Ultisger fight had made him looked ragged with torn clothes and a bleeding arm, even worse than some beggers along the streets. As he entered, a couple of early-waking beggers tried approaching him, but upon seeing his ragged state and the sword at his side, they decided to give him a miss.

Baldarov searched the city and found a spot that was unguarded by its habitant. Its occupant was not around so Baldarov lay Tuster down. His arm had gone numb after holding Tuster since they left Ulseeker’s Woods. He moved his shoulder a little and tried getting some blood flowing again. He was tired and more in need of food than sleep. So he hugged Tuster and lay on the mat under the canvas and drifted off to sleep.