Save the Hostages #7

“Noooo!” you roar, dashing at Gunther. He turns and raises his sword just in time to block your clumsy blow, but your aggressive strikes force him back.
There’s a loud grunt, and you see Dorbane kicked in the face by the other soldier. The stout Kutollum reels back and his opponent escapes, sprinting into the darkness.
The distraction gives Gunther a momentary advantage and he disarms you!
Blade at your throat, you stumble backwards onto the ground.
“You have no idea what you’re doing!” he hisses, sweating profusely from the pain. “The foreigners are a curse upon this land!”
The color has drained from his face. Blood drizzles from the end of his left hand and he stumbles. You scramble in the dry leaves, trying to keep the tip of the sword from penetrating your flesh.
“So you frame innocent people?” you ask, trying to shift his attention.
The distant comes into focus on your question, his eyes narrow. “How did you find out about that?”
You never get the chance to answer.
A deep green light appears in the soldiers eyes and mouth as he falls forward, onto his knees. Valda is standing behind him, hand gripping the hilt of her dagger. Her lips silently repeat the ancient spell of her people, drawing life force into her own body. In the flickering light, you can see her cut shoulder glow green…and the wound slowly closes.
Gunther falls forward, face down into the leaves. Bending over the corpse, Valda pulls her knife free.
“Much better,” she says, running a finger over the small scar on her shoulder.
You can’t help but shudder.
“Remind me not to make you mad,” you grunt, getting to your feet.
Dorbane stumbles over—pinching his nose. Blood covers the front of his tunic.
He looks at both of you and growls, “Lucky shot.”
Valda stares past you, in the direction the last soldier fled. When her vision shifts back to you, she looks worried. “We have no idea if these guys have friends out there in the dark.”
Before you can respond, you hear a moan from the soldier by the campfire.

To interrogate the captive soldier, go to page #8
To go after the fleeing soldier into the night, go to page #42