Rocky Plains, Scene v1

The room slowly emptied as everyone took their final look at the mysterious water spirit. Kismet quickly peered into the auction hall to get a glimpse of the auction’s highest bidder. His silks layered thickly over his round body. He put his hand on the tank as he laughed boisterously.

“I can’t believe it. The Magistrate always told me to buy him another Undine if I ever saw one. To think I would live to see two caught in such a short time!” He turned to the lucky fisherman, who was still jaw-droppingly speechless at how much the Undine had sold for. “Shall we head off?”

The fisherman looked back at him confused. “Head off?”

“Hah, please don’t tell me you thought I actually carried that much money on me. You’re going to have to come with me to Eliad,” explained the representative as he signaled his aides to bring the Undine with them.

Kismet watched them load the tank into the back of a large covered wagon with Eliad’s seal etched into the side. After the tank was securely placed into the wagon, the fisherman stepped onto the wagon along with the representative. Once his escort of twenty mounted up, they departed north at a slow trot.

Kismet kept out of sight and away from the road while she trailed behind them. The road continued atop a hill, which ran into a rocky plain filled with waist-high grass. Small patches of clouds dotted the high-noon sky, as the sun showered the land with warmth. She continued to follow the wagon and its escort through the plains, keeping low in the grass while she slipped from one rock to the next. She quickly stopped upon spotting someone crouched behind a rock just ahead.

A sharp whistle pierced the air. Half a dozen archers rose out of the grass and took quick aim. Four of the escorts fell to the ground with a cry of pain, while the rest struggled to control their horses in a panic. Two more fell to arrows, while the rest dismounted and rushed down the hill after the archers. Another half a dozen wielding swords flanked them from the side. The archers dropped their bows and drew their daggers. Four of them rushed for the wagon, while the other two joined in the melee.

Kismet sprinted after them, pouncing on one of the archers and knocking him unconscious. The other beside him stumbled in fear at the sight of her. She bared her fangs with a hiss, which sent him fleeing. Kismet climbed the hillside to find the fisherman and his buyer unconscious on the road. The four archers were carrying the tank down the hillside by the time she reached them. The bandit closest to her spotted her in the corner of his eye. He dropped the tank in a panic, as he staggered back. The Undine’s tank slipped from the rest of their hands and shattered onto the floor.

The young water spirit shrieked as she tumbled down to the base of the hill. She aimlessly tried to crawl away while two of the bandits chased after her. Kismet quickly rammed one of the archers with her shoulder and thrust her foot into the chest of another, cracking his ribs. The remaining two charged after her with daggers in hand, while the three remaining sword-wielding bandits rushed to their aide.

Kismet grabbed the archer’s outstretched arm and flipped him over her shoulder onto the flat of his back. She spun the last archer in the way of the one of the swordsman’s attacks. With a cry of pain, the sword cut deep into his back. The swordsman stared in shock at felling his own comrade, which was soon followed by a roundhouse to the side of his head. The last remaining bandit stared at her, frozen with fear. Kismet glared at him with her large feline eyes. He glanced at the bodies of his defeated comrades and ran away faster than his feet could carry him.



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