Guardians fight for freedom chapter Eleven

Back in the Darklands Kellen and Faro were preparing for their trip to the dwarven lands to seek aid from King Byron. Ishmael had had packed everything they would need for their trip and brought two beautiful horses out. One was white with a golden mane and the other brown and white with a dark mane. Ishmael wished them good luck and Faro could see the Candrima in the distance waving. 
They mounted their horses and galloped out of the darklands. Ariana and Kiara sat in the temple waiting for news of others joining the resistance. Ishmael waited at the door and nodded to Kiara, she whispered to Ariana “Ari go outside and play with axel while I talk to Ishmael” Ariana nodded and ran past the young monk.
“So is there any news?” Kiara asked anxiously
“Well recently two sorceresses from the darkened forest turned up, and you’re not gonna believe this. They brought the sisters of the night with them”
“What, how did they get them to cooperate? The sisters of the night are dangerous assassins”
“Apparently one of the sorceresses knew the leader of the sisters. So having friends is working well for us at the moment and they also said the blood wardens are coming to” 
“Yes I am aware. We met them on our travels. Haaris said they will be here once they have finished their mission”
“So we have blood wardens, sisters of the night, sorceresses from the darkened forest. Monks from here, Candrima the prophesied one, rebel commanders and you and your sister”
“Don’t forget Aspen and Isaiah”
“Ah yes, the talking trees that scare the hell out of everyone”
“They aren’t that scary”
“You’re kidding. They tower over everyone and when they walk I keep thinking an earthquake is happening”
“Is there anyone else coming to help?”
“Well Faro and Kellen are off to seek aid from the dwarves; we could try the elves if there in a good mood to cooperate”
“How about the death seekers, they like impossible odds and fighting”
“Well we could try them, how about the pirates off the coast of Marda island?”
“So it settled. We try these people and see if they will join us”
Faro and Kellen rode day and night nonstop tell they reached a village, however it seemed very familiar to them. 
“Hey Kellen is it just me or does this place I don’t know remind you of home, sort of”
“Yes that’s strange.is it possible this is the frosted village or am I losing it”
“If it is, what the hell happened here?” Faro looked at the ghost town he once called home and saw broken down houses, dead trees and ash instead of snow 
“Something is very wrong here, where is everyone?”
“Beats me but we’d better find out what happened” Faro cleaned a dusty window and peered inside and saw a family of four sitting huddled together whilst the father had a sword in hand. Faro backed away and signalled to Kellen to come over. He also gazed in and could not believe what he had seen.
“What would have scared a family so much too actually hide in their own homes?”
“A rampaging bear would do it or dragon”
“There aren’t any dragons in this area”
“Maybe they migrated”
“No something else is doing this. I mean a bear could not get in unless they breached the fences; however, I remember the old Baron putting bear bane on the fences and traps outside. So that rules out bears and dragons”
“We could just ask them”
“Are you insane, we cannot just trespass on another man’s land? Let alone his house”
“I am just throwing ideas out there”
“We could just go and ask whoever is in charge?”
“Why didn’t I think of that?”
Faro and kellen travelled deeper into the village. It brought back memories; Faro ran to a rundown shack and looked disheartened.
“This was the house my family lived in, until” Faro trailed off and Kellen held his hand on his shoulder.
“I am sorry”
“It doesn’t matter anymore. It happened a long time ago and they aren’t here any longer”
“Doesn’t mean you should forget them” 
“Your right as long as I have my memories they will forever be alive. Thank you old friend”
“You needn’t thank me and any the house looks worse than when you were living there, oddly not by much” he smirked
“Cheers and says you”
“I lived in the forest and was trained to be a hunter.  I have an excuse to have poor cleaning skills. You on the other hand were brought up with the normal skills one is expected to know in a civilized land.”
“If you say so, he look isn’t that the old baron’s mansion”
“Yes it is. The person who is now in charge must be in there. Let’s go” the commanders walked to the mansion, its massive archway spanned sixteen yards. As they reached the third step, a young man rushed to them.
“Stop, are you mad?”
“Come again” Faro questioned in confusion
“Get down from there before she sees you”
“Who” Kellen interjected
“The Baroness she will kill you. Run stranger before it’s too late”
“I am sure she’s not that bad”
“You are fools. Why do you think nobody dares come out of their homes? Hurry now. Come with me if you want to live” the man looked around anxiously.
“Ok calm down. We will go with you” the commanders followed helplessly. The man told the commanders to wait where they were; he looked around then signalled to them. They were still confused but this man could answer their questions. They reached an alley near a small wooden house; Faro continued walking not noticing the others had stopped. The man grabbed Faro’s arm and pulled him against the wall of the alley.
“What the hell” – Faro shouted in frustration
“Shh keep your voice down they will hear you” the man whispered and looked at the guard patrol.
“So there’s a guard patrol, we aren’t doing anything illegal”
“You don’t understand. The baroness created them to catch people so she can bleed you dry. She believes lying in innocent people’s blood will keep her young, she uses some kind of magic to enchant the blood”
“You’re lying”
“No why do you think the people do not leave their homes. Now we need to get inside before they catch us” the man run to the house and locked the door. Kellen glanced at the door and noticed he had six locks, a warding spell and a plank of wood that slides across. He eyed the man with curiosity. 
“It’s to stop the Baroness and her lackeys from getting in”
“Is she really that bad then?”
“You’re a stranger. You know nothing of the horrors we have had to endure” the man walked down the cellar. The commanders could not believe what they saw men, women and children hiding in the basement.  The women holding their children as they whimper in the dark. Faro became enraged and his fists become clenched “I want words with this woman; these people should feel safe in their own damn homes”
“I agree, I think we should pay her a visit”
“Are you crazy? She is too powerful,” the man screamed
“We can help you”
“No you can’t, nobody can”
“Do not lose faith good people. We will put an end to her” a young girl in ragged stained clothes ran to the commanders and hugged them.  Kellen smiled at her and brushed her knotted blonde hair out of her face. The commanders moved swiftly out the cellar and waited for the man to follow. He came, unlocked the door, and removed the warding spell. The commanders shook his hand and travelled quickly and stealthily avoiding the many guard patrols. They reached the mansion and hid in behind a tree to come up with a plan to sneak in undetected. 
“So Faro got any ideas how to do this?”
“All we have to do is get in, ice that bitch and get out”
“It’s not that easy, we need to watch out for the guards, any alarms, traps and spells protecting the manor.  We need a plan and we need one now”
“Great. How about you use your hunting skills to scout out the area and I will have a look through the windows to see if there are any nasty surprises waiting for us”

“That is wise. Otherwise we would be walking in there blind” Kellen pulled his hood up, drew his bow and moved nimbly through the streets he was like a gazelle, moving agilely avoiding all obstacles and at a great speed leapt over the wall that surrounded the manor. Faro watched his friend’s magnificent feat and was astonished. “Holy crap, I wish I could do that,” he muttered under his breath. 
Faro crept to his position using the bushes as cover; he peered through the window and saw no traps, alarms or anything. He thought this was strange. Surely, a Baroness would have servants or maybe she sacrificed them in some weird messed up blood ritual. That thought worried him and sent shivers down his spine. Kellen placed his hand on Faro’s shoulder and with that, Faro jumped to high heaven and panted, “Dude, what the hell? You do not sneak up on someone. God you nearly gave me a heart attack” 
“Calm down. Maybe you should sit down”
“Nah I am good, just don’t do that again I don’t think I could take it. What did you find out?”
“Well I could only see on the top and ground floor, however I found a cellar door at the back leading underground, but its locked and the guards are increasing their patrols”
“That’s just great”
“There’s something else you should know”
“What’s that?”
“In one of the rooms, looked like a ceremonial ritualistic slaughterhouse. On the tables was… human skulls”
“How do you know there human they could be animal skulls”
“Faro, I am a hunter. I have an extensive knowledge of skull types and bone structures. They were definitely human and some were small enough to be new-borns”
“Oh that sick twisted nutty bitch.”
“I think she will be in the lower levels of the manor, underground”

“Well let’s take this bitch out then” Kellen led the way to the looked cellar door and Faro bashed the lock while Kellen kept watch for the guards. Once done he lifted the door and whistled for his friend to come over. They climbed down the ladder and found an underground dungeon. Kellen peered inside a cell and found two skeletons lying in the foetal position “Poor bastards. They didn’t stand a chance”. Faro came over “Oh come one. How many people does this bitch need to kill?”
“Apparently a lot”
“I have bad feeling that things are gonna get worse from here onwards”
“Oh you have that feeling too. Glad it’s not just me,” they continued through the dungeon until they reached the door. The men shot a worrying glance at each other and opened the door hesitantly. They found a blood stained torture room, weapons were scattered across the floor and the racks were soaked in the crimson liquid. One of the racks still had a body tied to it, its rotting decaying flesh attracted flies, which were using the body as a breeding ground. Faro gaged and spoke whilst coughing “that’s just not right”. 
“We can’t just leave the body here”
“We have to deal with the baroness before we do this. She might escape. We will come back to burn the body”
“You‘re right we have to stop her while we can” Faro nodded in response. They quickened their pace and when they reached the baroness. She stood waiting; she had a cruel demeanour and arrogant stand. Her blood-red lips spoke “So you are the new guests in my village”
“How did” – 
“I know you were in my town. I have spies everywhere. And where are my manners, I am Baroness Estelle or just the baroness and you are?”
“You will pay for what you have done”
“If I am not mistaken, it is accustom to tell someone your name when a person asks you”
“You don’t deserve to know and at any rate you won’t have enough time to remember them”
“Oh so you’re here to kill me then”
“What do you think? I mean you have killed people and used them in messed up voodoo shit. You have to pay for what you have done”
“Haha, we shall see who survives” and with that the Baroness pulled out a jiggered dagger and cut her palm. The blood flowed around her and glowed as she absorbed its raw power, her eyes shinned red and skeletons rose from the ground. Faro shouted to Kellen “Something tells me she has killed more than we previously thought, unless she moved in onto of a burial ground. Which is unlikely?” Kellen brought out his bow and fired arrows rapidly. One hit a skeleton and lodged itself in its eye socket; the other hit its chest and shattered on impact. Faro countered the skeleton’s every move and cut its head off. It disintegrated into a pile of dust. Kellen kneecapped the other one whilst Faro plunged his dagger into its skull and it burst into dust.
The baroness fell to the floor and crawled away. However as she reached the door she turned to see the commanders still standing there but then a pick axe went through her head, the blood trickled down her face and she collapsed dead. Behind revealed a slim elven figure with golden brown hair and large blue eyes. The commanders stared at her with astonishment.
“I am sorry, but the baroness, she killed people and made us scrub the floors” the woman sobbed as tears streamed down her face.
“It’s ok, we understand. We should get going before the guards turn up” Faro replied.
“I can’t leave, not yet”
“Why?”
“Because my partner Liam was taken by the Baroness and was chained to her blood draining machine”
“Where is this machine?”
“In the next room, but I don’t know where the key is”. Kellen reached down and checked the baroness’s body. He found a large rusted key around her neck, tore it of her, and passed it to the woman. She ran out the room to the machine. The elven man was pale and was losing consciousness, he turned his head slowly “Jenna, is that you?” he said weakly. 
“Liam oh my god, I am gonna get you out of there” her hands shook violently as she undid the restraints. The commanders raced in, ripped some of their tunic fabric, and tied it to Liam’s arms to stop the bleeding. He passed out and when he awoke not long after. His colour returned to his face and was able to sit up. Faro knelt beside him “You’re lucky to survive Liam” Liam sat up “I don’t feel lucky. Where is the baroness?”
“Dead”
“Good. That witch had it coming”
“Jenna is packing your bags”
“What for?” he asked puzzlingly  
“You both have to leave, with the baroness dead. The guards will kill you both if they find you”
“Where are we going?”
“Well there a few suggestions, one the Darklands, two Chisen or three Marda island”
“What did Jenna choose?”
“She said Chisen as it’s safer than the other two”
“So we’re leaving the Frosted village. I can’t pretend I am gonna hate leaving after the horrors we have seen”
“I can’t imagine what you have had to endure. Kellen went and got a horse. You will leave tomorrow morning. We will distract the guards so you can escape”
“Why are you helping us?”
“This was once my home town and you both seem to be good people”
“Thank you”
“You don’t need to thank us. We are here to help” The commanders returned to the dead body as Jenna and Liam rested for their busy day tomorrow. Kellen started a fire and Faro placed a stick into the flame then ignited the body. 
The next morning Jenna and Liam were ready on their horse, waiting for the order to go. The commanders ran into the line of sight of the guards, which obviously took chase. Faro and Kellen made them chase them into a clearing, drew their weapons and made a stand. Whilst the commotion distracted all the guards employed by the Baroness, they followed their comrades after the two men.
The servants made there get away and they rode fast towards the sun. Faro and kellen killed all but one guard. He was brutish man in massive armour that gleamed in the sun. He had a spiked maul that was huge. Kellen fired two arrows, which hit the guard in the knee joints; Faro threw one of his daggers at the man’s chest but did know effect. Kellen shouted to Faro “We need to hit him in the joints to weaken him then wear him down. It’s the only way to take him down” Faro nodded in response and darted around the man causing him to swing his maul around franticly, exposing his weak points for Kellen who took aim and released an arrow that went through the man’s armpit. He screamed in agony and Faro kept using this tactic until the man fell from exhaustion. The hunter fired again and lodged his final arrow between the man’s eyes. 
Faro and Kellen just sat there for a little while to catch their breath then went back to the villager’s hideout. They knocked and spoke. The man answered and brought them down to the cellar. The commanders explained what had transpired and all the villagers cheered in happiness. Each villager came up and shook their hands. The man spoke “Thank you. You saved us from her. I didn’t think it was possible”
“We did what was necessary. We need to leave to get to the dwarven fortress as we have an army to assemble” the commanders left quickly and got on their horse. They had to share now as they gave one to the servants. They rode day and night to make up for lost time.