this group now, while we have the advantage, and potentially stop any future attacks against us.”
“Well, if you put it that way,” Jonas said with an unconvincing smile as he began to pull arrows from his quiver. He tried to show some bravado but inside he was shaking with fear. He had never really fought anyone, or anything, in a premeditated fashion before. Any combat experience he had was derived from defending himself from attacks directed at him. It was one thing to fight back on instinct, but quite another to plan an attack against an unknowing, and formidable opponent. “What is your plan?”
Jonas silently crept through the trees, moving from trunk to trunk to get to the left side of the glade. Luckily for the men the gnolls were in a clearing that was completely surrounded by rocks and trees, and in the dead of night the three warriors could easily flank the scouting party. And the air was still; no breeze this night that would alert the gnolls with their smell, especially over the intense aroma of the cooking meat.
The plan was simple. On Kiln’s signal they would pepper the group with arrows from above and then move in quickly in the confusion and finish them off. Jonas was nervous; his heart was beating loudly in his head. But he also felt an excitement, a rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins as he thought about the battle to come. These beasts were gnolls, evil by nature, and it was a similar evil that had destroyed his town and his friends in Finarth. They were here to do them harm, and Jonas would not let that happen. At least that was the rationalization that Jonas used to convince himself as he neared his position on the left side of the glade.
He moved up behind a large rock and looked down into the clearing below him. The gnolls were about forty paces away, separated from the men by a gentle hillside of rocks and trees. It was a perfect spot. Jonas could fire his arrows into them and then leap down the boulder strewn hillside into the clearing with his sword in his hand. These beasts were huge and ominous, but Jonas had trained hard and he was ready. He was confident in his skills and eager to test them, but nonetheless his heart still beat with nervous energy and his hands were shaking. Jonas took a deep calming breath and withdrew three arrows from his quiver, leaning them against the rock that hid him. Then he nocked a fourth. He would need to make his shots count so they could even the odds before they jumped into the clearing with swords drawn.
Jonas looked down at the large creatures, waiting for the signal. He glanced at the gnolls nearest him picking out his targets. He remembered Lambeck’s teachings and began to take slow deep breaths, calming his nerves so that his aim was accurate.
He leaned out, spotting his first target. There was a large gnoll who had his back to Jonas ripping off a piece of flesh from a bone he was holding in his greasy clawed hand. The thing’s thick neck was exposed and that was the spot that Jonas focused on as he drew back his long bow. He breathed slowly, looking down the straight shaft and focusing on the little spot at the base of the beast’s skull. The signal would come soon, and Jonas waited, concentrating on the task at hand. Closing his eyes, he focused on his breathing and heartbeat. It took him a few seconds before he was in the state of Ty’erm. His eyes fluttered open and everything was much more acute. He could hear the crackling fire as if it was right next to him and all the sounds and movements seemed slow in his mind.
Suddenly a gnoll howled, falling into the fire with a dark shaft protruding from the back of its head. The rest of the gnolls stood still, staring at their comrade in shock as his face burned in the hot fire.
Jonas released his shaft, reaching down quickly and sending two more arrows whistling into the night as his first arrow hit its mark. His target arched backwards, a bloody shaft erupting from its throat.
Everything happened quickly as arrows rained down on the beasts. The surviving gnolls immediately grabbed their weapons, leaping away from the fire to face the invisible threats around them.