Tender Mercies

Suddenly something was grabbing at him. He felt it and knew that it had to be Alesha... unless Nordan had done the impossible and not only fought the swift current but also grown boobs. Nice boobs at that.

Then Alesha was bringing her head to his and trying to kiss him. He thought her finally mad, trying to do something like that at a time when his lungs burned for air. Then their lips touched and the bubbles she blew at him made him understand. He met her lips with his and let her blow her air into his mouth. His lungs were grateful for it, but the frenzied activity made it hard for him to keep from gasping for more. He made himself calm down and after a count of 30, he returned the air to her.

They continued doing this, growing lightheaded and losing a little air each time. Kelnozz felt Alesha growing limp in his arms, and he shook her roughly and gave her every last bit of air he had. She stirred at this and clung protectively to him as the current buffeted them and pushed them along the rocks. Then they were falling.

Alesha lost track of Kelnozz in the fall. It was too dark to see anything, but she did notice that they appeared to be in a regular waterfall, meaning there should be air to breath. When she hit the water below, she swam as hard as she could to get back to the surface. Breaking free, she took a deep breath, grateful for the fresh air again. Her heart was racing from the near suffocation, so it took her a moment to regain her composure.

Then she remembered Kelnozz. With all of his armor, he would sink to the bottom if he could not swim. She inhaled deeply and dove blindly. Swimming towards the turbulence in the water, she found the bottom quickly enough. The pool was only 20 feet deep or so beneath the waterfall, growing quickly shallow away from it. She felt about, hoping desperately to find him. Not finding him near the waterfall, she let herself feel the current. It pulled her to her left, so she swam the way, feeling about the bottom. Sure enough, she found the elf's foot. Tracing it up his body, she grabbed him and wrapped her arms just under his shoulders. With a few powerful strokes she broke the surface of the water, holding him above water.

Thankful of her time spent in her prior life as a lifeguard along the coast, she swam towards where she remembered it getting shallower. She soon felt the rock beneath her feet and was able to drag him out of the water and onto a sandy shore. Still unable to see, she checked him for a pulse and breathing. His pulse was weak, and he didn't appear to be breathing. Working quickly, she flipped him over and guessed at a location. Using the flat of her hand, she pounded on his back, forcing some of the water out of him.

She flipped him back over then and tilted his head back so that she could begun performing CPR on him. After breathing for him a few times he began jerking and she backed away so he could start coughing. She turned him on his side and he wretched the water out of his lungs painfully.

A hand touched her shoulder from behind then, causing her to scream in surprise. "Are you okay?" Nordan's disembodied voice said.

Gulping down her panic she nodded, then realized it was dark and he couldn't see her. "Yes," she said at last. "Kelnozz nearly drowned though."

"Ha! I doubt it, nothing seems to be able to kill that dog!" Nordan responded, coughing up some water himself. "I kept offering to help you but you ignored me."

"Sorry, I was so caught up in saving him I guess I didn't know you were there," She said, her hand rubbing up and down Kelnozz's back as he rested in the sand, breathing painfully.

"Now we're even," Kelnozz finally said, his voice weak but humor still in it.

"What do you mean?" She asked, pulling her hand back.

After another fit of coughing, Kelnozz responded to her, "I saved your life from the orcs, now you've saved mine from the water."

Alesha was glad it was dark in there, so no one could see her blush. Kelnozz's quiet chuckle reminded her that he could see in the dark though, making her blush even more. "So now what?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

"Now we rest," Kelnozz said.

"After all that you want to rest?" Alesha asked, suddenly realizing she was exhausted but not ready to give up yet.

"Aye, I've not slept since we encountered the pirates," Kelnozz said. "Now I've been drowned on top of that, I think I deserve a nap!"

Nordan guffawed at that, "About damn time you slept! I'll keep first watch."

"How? It's dark in here," Alesha said as she fought off a yawn.

"Don't need to see to keep watch," Nordan said smugly.

Alesha shrugged. She was more concerned with sleep. She lay down on the shore and by closing her eyes had a brief sense of déjà vu to when she had dozed on the beech of her own world so many times. Sighing at the loss, she let the memory go and soon joined Kelnozz in the world of sleep

Chapter 4

They had moved very slowly at first, both Nordan and Alesha unable to see anything. Kelnozz led them through the caves and tunnels, always trying to move up when he could. Kelnozz's pack had some food and water stashed away in it, but after three days of eating sparingly, they had eaten the last of it. Water they found often enough that they could refresh themselves and fill the single waterskin they carried with them. Without food they found themselves growing weak with hunger on the fifth day.

Salvation came to them on the 6th day. At first thinking themselves seeing things, they soon realized they weren't hallucinating. Light spilled into the passage from up ahead. Forcing themselves to not rush forward, they advanced slowly upon it. The cave emptied into a larger cavern lit by a staff with a magically glowing globe atop it placed in a sconce on each side a ornately carved entrance. The carving depicted serpents, demons, dragons, and other fey creatures writhing about one another.

"What is this place?" Nordan asked, squinting to see through the painfully bright light.

Kelnozz advanced on it and studied it carefully without touching anything. After a few moments he said, "I'm not sure. Doesn't look friendly though."

"I thought you knew about these underground tunnels?" Alesha said, hysteria touching the edge of her voice.

Kelnozz glanced at her sharply. "I said I knew of them, not that I had ever been there."

"Let us find out," Nordan said, Reaching out and grabbing one of the magical torches from a sconce.

Kelnozz scowled, not sure his companions rash actions were wise. When nothing adverse occurred, he grabbed the other torch and handed it to Alesha. Kelnozz then took the lead to keep the light behind him so it did not interfere with his night vision.

The passage beyond the entranceway turned smooth and well formed. Perhaps natural at one time, it had been carved out to a uniform 8 feet high by 6 feet wide. The passage stretched onwards and upwards for several minutes. Then abruptly it ended by joining a passage that intersected it. They stood at the intersection for a minute silently, peering both ways down the passages.

"We need a dwarf," Kelnozz muttered, uncertain of where to go.

"Why?" Alesha asked, remembering the short and stocky people from her time in Sanctuary.

"They're great underground, could get us out of here in no time," He answered, already heading off towards the left. Nordan shrugged when Alesha looked at him questioningly, then he followed the elf. Alesha stood there a moment, staring both directions, then hurried after.

A few passages branched off from the one they were on, but they opted to continue forward on it. More magical torches began to adorn the walls, lighting the passage well. Nordan and Alesha dropped theirs to free their hands when they realized they could count on the torches to light the way.

Kelnozz stopped and held up his hand in warning. Alesha opened her mouth to ask what he was doing when she heard the noise that had stopped him, the sound of many booted feet walking along the corridor. She was excited to find other life on one hand, and terrified that they would be enemies on the other hand.

"Move back!" Kelnozz hissed. To late though, for ahead a group of people had rounded a corner in the passage. Everyone stopped instantly and stared at each other.

"Run!" Kelnozz said, drawing his swords.

"Why? They're elves!" Alesha responded, confused.

"Light elves!" Nordan told her, grabbing her arm and pulling her behind him. He readied his warhammer.

The light elven company split into two groups. Six of them charged forward while 4 remained behind. The four remaining behind were paired in twos. Each pairing carried a stick between them with something large hanging from it. They had no time to determine what they were carrying though, for the elves reached them.

Nordan and Kelnozz defended themselves as best they could in the corridor. Their swings careful due to the cramped space that standing side by side provided them, they at least kept their opponents similarly handicapped. The noise of steel striking steel echoed through the tunnel, sure to bring reinforcements.

"Flee, I will hold them!" Kelnozz said, driving his opponent backwards with a furious series of attacks that only lightly wounded him.

"Nay!" Nordan grunted, slamming his hammer into the shield of a light elf and breaking its arm. "We live or die together this time!"

Kelnozz batted aside the attack from his racial enemy and scored a deep wound on the light elves thigh. The elf fell back, trying to escape Kelnozz's wrath. The dark elf took that opportunity and called to his friend, "Then we run now!"

Nordan swung wildly at the light elf's head, making it shrink back away from him. He then turned tail with the elf and ran. The elves behind the front ranks were unable to get around them, allowing them a brief moment to escape. Seeing a hesitating Alesha in front of him, Nordan scooped her up easily and tossed her over his shoulder as he ran.

The pursuit was quickly joined, driving them to run faster. They ducked into the first passage they encountered, taking them in a circuitous route through the tunnels. A few more random turns in an effort to lose their pursuit did them no good save getting them thoroughly lost. Alesha struggled on Nordan's shoulder, causing him to set her down so she could run with them on her own.

"Why can't we lose them?" Alesha said between gasps for air.

"Like me, they can see the heat in the air, that's how I see at night," Kelnozz answered her, breathing well and obviously in far better shape then her.

"So?" She asked again, beginning to feel her side start to cramp up.

"They see our footsteps on the cooler rock floor," He said.

Alesha lapsed into silence then, still not knowing how it was possible without the technology of her birth world, but willing to accept it for lack of a better explanation. Then they came to another T in the corridor. To the right they could see the four elves that had remained behind the patrol. They'd set their cargo down and had drawn weapons. Seeing the companions, they shouted alarm and charged after them.

Knowing themselves lost if they fought them, Kelnozz turned to the left and led his friends on. They had to run faster as those elves behind them were fresh. Alesha gasped, running on pure willpower and adrenaline, her stamina already gone.

They came to a large staircase in the passage, and without any hesitation charged up it. Nordan tripped on the stairs, falling painfully. Alesha stopped and helped him to his feet, leaving an unknowing Kelnozz ahead of them. They struggled back up, Nordan limping at first from an injured knee, but ignoring the pain and forcing himself on in spite of it.

At the top of the stairs Kelnozz found himself in an open air courtyard. Free of the caverns he felt like shouting triumphantly. However, the large number of light elves in the courtyard precluded him from any celebrations. A brief moment of silence rolled over the compound, then Kelnozz regained his wits and was off at a run again, sprinting towards the main gate in hopes of getting their before the light elves could react. Beginning to tire, a run of 200 yards was beyond any hope and he knew it.

Nordan and Alesha reached the courtyard to see Kelnozz disappear in a group of easily 20 light elves converging on him. She started to run forward to help him when Nordan grabbed her from behind. He shook his head and limped off towards the side to hide behind a building to the left of the rock wall.

"What now?" Alesha asked, winded and stunned at the loss of Kelnozz.

"The fool elf gave his life so we could escape," Nordan said, exercising his wounded knee cautiously.

"How?"

Nordan looked up and saw the wooden wall of the fort beside them. He looked about a moment longer before he grabbed hold of Alesha by the waist and hoisted her up so she could grab the pointed tops of the logs forming the twelve foot tall wall. She grabbed on to it and managed to swing herself over. The tower guards were preoccupied with the continuing battle in the center of the courtyard, allowing her to escape unseen. She dropped to the ground, rolling when she hit.

A moment later she wondered how Nordan was going to get out when she saw his hands at the top of the wall. He pulled himself over as well, hurrying to avoid discovery. He fell to the ground and landed with a thud. Struggling, he regained his feet and limped over to where Alesha waited. She put her arm around him and felt something wet. Looking at her arm she saw it was blood.

"How did you get hurt?" She asked him, concerned.

"Was in a hurry, tore my side on one of those logs. No time now, worry about it later," He said, wincing with each step.

Escape was moments away for them, with all the elves attention directed inwards toward the events unfolding in the courtyard. With Nordan trying his best to erase their tracks, they disappeared amidst the forest of evergreens surrounding the light elven outpost.

Kelnozz fought like a man possessed. It was easily his finest moments as a warrior. In moments a handful of his skilled and dangerous opponents lay dead or dying around him. Still more pressed in, stepping over their fallen comrades in hopes of defeating the hated dark elven invader.

The hairs on the back of his neck raising to let him know he faced a new threat, Kelnozz glanced upwards and saw a wizard screaming at the light elves surrounding him. Not waiting for them to hear, Kelnozz seized the initiative and ended the life of another elf in a fountain of blood from his neck. He sprung through the opening before it could be filled and ran like the wind. His fatigue was forgotten amidst his exhilaration.

The light elves shouted and gave pursuit, screaming at him like dogs yapping at his heels. The wizard's commands started to be heard, however, and the pursuit lessened. Kelnozz ran for the gate, seeing it close but low enough that it looked easier to climb over it then anywhere else. In a situation with no options, it was the best chance he had.

Risking a look over his shoulder, he saw the elves had stopped chasing him. Looking up nervously, he saw the wizard finish his incantation and gesture towards him. A fiery ball sprung forth from his hands and rushed towards him. Kelnozz scowled and dropped to the ground. The magical bolt passed just over his back, warming him with it's passage. It slammed into the gate of the complex and exploded violently. The force of the explosion washed over Kelnozz, stunning him for a moment. In spite of the concussive effects, he stumbled to his feet off balance and half ran, half stumbled towards the gate again. The fireball had blown the gate off it's hinges, allowing him an escape route if he could make it.

Screaming in outrage, the elves charged him again, gaining ground at first but not enough by the time the dark elf had shaken the effects off and was moving at full speed. The wizard called for the pursuers to hold back again, but his plea was lost in the chaos. Scowling, he began his spell regardless.

Kelnozz made it through the destroyed gate and lunged to his right. Just in time, the wizard had sent an arcing bolt of lighting towards him. Three elves closest behind him took the brunt of the bolt, their screams of agony frozen in their throats. It passed close enough to Kelnozz that he still felt the muscles contract in his left leg, forcing him to drag it painfully for a few steps before it began to obey his commands again.

Out of immediate danger from the warriors in the outpost, he opened up his stride and worked the kinks out of his leg, grunting at first with each painful step but soon enough feeling had returned to so that it behaved normally. The remaining warriors charged after him out the door, distance very slowly opening up between them.

An arrow from one of the guard towers narrowly missed Kelnozz's throat, skipping off his chain mail covered shoulder instead and imbedding in the ground. Cursing the Gods under his breath, he began weaving back and forth as he ran. More arrows followed him, one ripping a hole in the side of his tunic and deflecting off his chain mail. The steady flight of arrows kept his pursuers from getting too close, however, so as long as he could avoid them he counted them a blessing.

His blessings ran out when an arrow impaled him through the right calf. He stumbled with the injury, and that saved him from the flight of arrows aimed at his head. Another one did catch him in the left side of the chest, hitting a ring in his chain mail perfectly. Grunting at the shock of the wounding, he reached around to his side and snapped the arrow shaft off outside the wound. Grimacing, he fought against the agony and forced himself to move into the cover of the evergreens, following the cliff wall that formed the back wall of the outpost to the right of it.

The trees provided him cover from the archers, but allowed his pursuers to close with him. Limping along, he cleared the forest and stared ahead at a clearing that ended in a cliff overlooking some sea. He reached the edge of it and peered over the edge. Straight down 40 feet if it was an inch, waves crashed against the rocks of the cliff. Behind him the elves spread out, knowing him wounded but still very dangerous.

"Time for you to die, cousin!" One of them said in the elven language to him. The light elf stepped forward and brandished his katana.

"Perhaps, but not at your hands," Kelnozz said, leaping with his unwounded leg off of the cliff. The fall seemed to last forever, weightless and flying. The elves above stared in disbelief at his suicidal plunge. An unheard splash marked where he hit the water.

Nordan shivered in the surprisingly cool night air. He had taken fever with the injury he had received in his side. Alesha had cleaned and dressed it with a skill he found surprising. She mentioned something about learning to be a healer before she had come to Viconia when he asked her about it.

Then they had moved out again, heading further west. Not only west, but they had also climbed steadily. Uncertain of where they were, they made a cold camp and went again without any food. Alesha knew that they would have to eat soon, especially if Nordan was to overcome his fever, but their exhaustion overrode their hunger.

When they awoke the next morning, Nordan was even worse off. Having taken off his dressing, Alesha found his wound to be angry and enflamed with infection. Nordan had trouble staying focused and was sweating profusely.

"We won't survive without food," Alesha said, rubbing her hands in the brisk morning air. "And I won't survive without clothes!" she quietly added to herself.

"Can you set snares?" Nordan said through the haze of fever.

Alesha shook her head, worried that they might have escaped impossible odds to be claimed by hunger. She looked away from Nordan so that he would not see her eyes tearing up in frustration. She looked back after she had gotten her emotions under control and saw him slowly rising to his feet.