Human Raiding

"Young warrior is the sole survivor of a raid, tell of the journey to warn their village/town/city"



Peter could feel blood dripping down his face and he stumbled across the bodies that littered the ground. He had begun checking all the bodies he had passed but it soon became clear that he was the only survivor. He hoped that some of the others had managed to escape, but he had no way of knowing. He made out the body of their mage, covered in blood clutching his staff as though it were a shield. Peter made his way over to the young man and knelt beside him. Roderik had been his closest friend in their unit, they had shared many adventures together and Peter had hoped to spend many more. His friend stirred and opened his eyes a fraction. Relief washed over Peter as he saw his friend alive.

‘Roderik,’ he said softly to the mage. Roderik looked at him with feverish eyes and Peter could see death beginning to cloud them. The mage gave a smile of vague recognition as he looked up into Peter’s face.

‘Peter,’ he said softly. ‘Take my staff to my wife.’

Peter felt a sudden strength enter him and thought he heard an echo of his friend’s voice, but as he looked at the body before him he could see his friend was gone. He closed Roderik’s purple eyes and picked up his staff, intending to return it to his wife. Leaning heavily on the staff and holding an arm to the wound on his stomach he pulled himself to a standing position. He had to get back, to warn the village, he couldn’t rely on the possibility of other survivors. The humans were coming.


Peter walked with determination towards the old forest that loomed in front of him. He could travel faster through the old forest; he and the other shadow elves had created shadow tunnels that transported the user to another location. His tribe of elves used them as a defence against the humans, when one walked through a shadow he would be transported away from the Elfish settlement. It had worked for many seasons, but the humans seemed to have finally found them. Peter’s unit had been sent to garrison the Outpost for this season. It was meant as a look out, to help prevent another massacre. Looking around the clearing Peter wasn’t sure how successful it had been. The small trees of the new forest still smouldered, but he could see that most hadn’t been completely destroyed. They’d grow back and hopefully he could save their village and find a new shelter.


The old forest opened before him as he reached the tree line. The ancient trees spoke their quiet whispers as he walked beneath them. He found a shadow and entered it with thoughts of his home. It should have taken him back to his village, instead he found himself on a ledge on the mountain, looking out over the forest where his village was concealed. He could see a trail of burning trees from where the Outpost was, heading straight for his village. He had to stop them, he had to warn his village. Taking a deep breath and thinking again of his home he stepped through the shadows.


As Peter emerged on the other side of the shadow tunnel he could hear voices talking in a strange language. He crouched, hidden in the shadows that clung to him for a moment before he recognised the voices were speaking human. He cursed to himself, what was wrong with the tunnels today? He had somehow been transported right behind the human ranks. He could barely make out their gleaming armour in the distance as they set fire to the old forest. He stepped through the shadows again, this time appearing half way up the slope from his village. He thanked his lucky stars that this time he hadn’t ended up too far away.


The village descended into chaos as Peter walked through the barrier. The healers rushed over to him, and Roderik’s wife saw him with the staff and tears clouded her eyes. Peter looked at her sadly before handing her the staff. He felt a wave of weakness wash over him and fell to his knees. Roderik’s wife knelt awkwardly before him.

‘Thank you,’ she whispered to him,’ for bringing him back.’

Peter looked at her confused, before understanding where his sudden weakness had come from. He had been carrying his friend with him, sharing in his remaining strength. He rested a hand on the woman’s shoulder.

‘Help me up,’ he said to the woman. The woman before him clambered to her feet and helped him to stand. He smiled fondly at his friend’s wife and the child she was carrying.

‘They’re coming.’ He said in the most authoritative voice he could muster. ‘Gather the women, the elderly and the children. Take them into the mountains and protect them. Find a new place to settle. I will hold them off with any volunteers.’

Peter stood as straight as he could, his stomach wound now healed enough that it would not tear. A group of seven men came to stand with him, five warriors and two mages. He nodded, it would do. They would be able to hold the humans long enough for the others to get to safety.