A TALE OF BETRAYAL
The divided team looked upon Erelis with utmost hesitation; as if not expected to be given a break in their case without something in return.
Erelis stood up; his body slowly extending to medium-height. A serious scowl crossed his face at the brevity of the situation. He nodded at Palias periodically as if getting verification on simple facts.
Bettemen interjected " They begged us to search west with them. Tracks broke from a creekbed in the early hours and they feared that their friends may have stumbled upon the ettin. We told them we could head west a short way, but that they must come to Airrdale if nothing was found by noon. They agreed, but we found no trace after a few miles and we rested on the roadway south. Just as we started to lead them here, arrows littered our group from a hillock bunker. To our surprise, the men scattered!"
Palias growled " I grabbed one of them as he raced towards the hill. I asked if we had been betrayed and he laughed. I punched him in the face and a leather pouch sailed out from his vestment."
Erelis continued " Being close by, I picked it up and, as I did, a purple object fell out from the bag. The man lunged at me cursing words the likes of which I never fathomed.
With surprising grace, the man snatched the gem from the pavement before I could even think. His face contorting into a nightmare I care not to remember. I jumped a bit startled at this transformation. All I thought was to flee to safety though I would be willingly to fight anyone who meant to harm me. My skin crawled and I know not why. Before I knew it, the man sped away and and we were all overcome by arrows so pursuit wasn't an option. A couple of us..." indicating Palias " ...caught an arrow and we were forced to flee back east. We all survived thankfully, but the men vanished and we realize we were tricked."
The room was stone quiet as Erelis ended his story
Teflar said in a haggard voice " Tell us please what is this clue you say you hold. But you should be warned the path we follow is one you may not see the end of for a good many have already given their lives to see it through."
" Remember when we came upon that group when searching the broken temple?"
He played with a strange sickle-weapon as he explained " We had found a ruin as we looked for a missing lady a couple nights back." He blinked rapidly recalling the troubled events. " Well, we found her....her body anyway, It laid in a field outside the building. Her skull had been crushed and well..." he glanced at Leah uncomfortably " Anyway, a band of nine men were holed up in the tower and we detained them for questioning. Outnumbering us, they were quite willing to help in any way; even going so far as to follow us back into Airrdale to tell what they knew. They had been witness to an ettin traipsing through the area. They had info on the raiding orc army as well."
Erelis cleared his throat " Being near the witching hour, we spent the night in the temple with them. In the morning, I counted them seven and were curious as to know the whereabouts of their pair who kept watch
that night. The men were frantic that their friends turned missing."
" I think you...we.... must act now...whatever the choice may be."