An Ashlanders Tale Chapter 4, By Jonajosa Options

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I received the beginning of the next chapter from jonajosa, so here you go

Link to chapter two, which this is the continuation of...


Chapter 4



After spending about 3 hours in a barrel on a nord supply ship Ashibalk was beginning to feel very depressed. This was certainly not how a general should be treated. He was going to have to talk to Darius about getting his rank changed to something more… safer. He sat in the cramped space thinking of what he would do when he reached the shore. Would he try and escape back to his own lines or would he try be forced to live in secret inside the nord lines? He had time to think of almost every possibility during the ride and had come to a conclusion. He would run.

The plan was to get taken off the ship and when the nord left him he would get out of the barrel and try and take off through the hills. He felt certain he could easily lose the nords in the rocky landscape of West Gash. Ashibalk knew his chance was getting closer when he started to hear the waves crashing upon the rocks near the shore. He heard some mumbling around his barrel and knew they were about to start taking cargo off the ship. He was picked up and carried some distance before they dropped him on the ground. He stayed still for a while and listened to the footsteps start to fade away. At that moment he put his plan into action.

Ashibalk opened the lid and peered out around him. He was in some sort of room filled with other crates and barrels. He got out and went to the door. He looked through and saw a group of other buildings that had storage signs above them. It was then when he saw a nord carrying a barrel towards his shack. Ashibalk looked around him for something to use as a weapon. There! A large knife was stuck in a lid on the other side of the room. He hurried to it, yanked it out and laid against the wall by the door. Hopefully the guard would pass by quickly and would not notice him standing there.

When the guard did enter the room Ashibalk gave a quick glance through the door to see if anyone followed his new prey. There was no one in sight so he rushed up behind the unsuspecting nord and slit his throat. He quickly dragged him into a corner and began taking his armor off. The nords armor was a little big but it was good enough to fool anyone who would glance at him when he left the camp. Once the armor was on he took a deep breath and took a step out of the room. The sun was blinding and he was forced to lift his arm over his head to block out its light. He had spent too much time in that barrel with no light. Now… which way lead out of this place?

[minque]

An update.....enjoy!


Ashibalk quickened his pace away from the building and soon found himself just a few dozen yards away from a ridge that was outside of the camp. He was about to turn the corner of a building when one of the men that were carrying the barrels into the room he was just in yelled out to him. Ashibalk felt the best thing to do was to just act like he didn’t hear him and keep walking. He turned the corner and made it a few more feet before he was jerked around by the shoulder into the face of an angry nord. At first the nord just stared at him wondering why a Chimer was in his camp but before he could completely comprehend what was going on Ashibalk hit punched him in the gut and slammed him into the wall. The nord tried to cry out but Ashibalk’s hand was clenched firmly around his neck. When the nord stopped moving and trying to get free he let go of him and threw him behind some sacks.

Some shouts were heard from behind as Ashibalk continued to walk out of the camp but no one approached him again. He made it out of the camp and into the woods just before the dead bodies were found.

“That’s the last time I ever get captured… Im getting tired of getting stuck in situations like that.” He said as we walked through the forest. The sounds of the birds and guar purrs clamed his nerves and he soon found himself being almost numb. His feet seemed to kick themselves as though they had a mind of their own. That’s when the sound of footsteps through the snow reached his ears. He dropped to the ground and slowly and silently drew his sword from its sheath. The footsteps grew closer and the sound of voices became audible. He couldn’t tell what language they were speaking but he could tell that there had to be more than five men walking towards his position.

“Here we go again.” He whispered to himself as he got ready to make a break away from the men coming at him. But before he could a sharp whistle came through the air past his head. A cry of pain and alarm rang out behind him and he attempted to raise his head to see what happened but he was forced back down the ground by the arrows flying over his head. Just as suddenly as the attack had started it ended. Voices came from the patch of trees ahead of him and several chimer archers dropped from the trees and began walking towards him. This was his chance he had to get back to his unit. He jumped up and shouted at the men coming at him.

“Help me! I need to get back to my soldiers.” The archers in front of him quickly notched arrows and fired them at him. Ashibalk dropped to the ground and covered his head.

“What are you doing? I am on your side!” He yelled while he wove his arm up over the tall grass in an attempt to get the to recognize him as an ally.

“Who are you?” One of the men shouted back.

“General Ashibalk, commander of the northern units in Darius’s army. I seek to return to my men.”

“Get up slowly so we can see your face.” Ashibalk heard them begin to notch arrows and decided that he should try and use as much caution as he could with getting up.

“Im getting up now.” He slowly stood and faced them, “See? I am no nord. Now can you please take me back to the Northern army.” The men relaxed a bit but still kept their arrows in position to fire on him if he decided to try something threatening.

“Easy men. Im eager to leave this place. We are not far from a Nordic encampment and I don’t wish to be captured again.” With that they walked off together through the woods heading south towards Darius and what he hoped what was left of his army.