Haldir's Journal Entry 2: Chapter 15 - Part 2



Haldir's Journal

Entry Six - Frozen Fear As

I write this I sit by the hearth of the NightGate Inn, warm cup of tea and a fresh loaf of bread at my side, but still my hands shake. This day will go down in memory as at once the most wondrous, terrifying and shameful day of my humble life. Even now, as the events are called back, I find myself paralyzed with fear and fascination.

Upon our arrival at the stables Fleet purchased me a horse and we set out for Morthal. He was riding to fort SnowHawk, an aggressive goal considering the distance and the cold weather. His hope was to make it as far as Morthal before resting the horses but I am not sure he had considered how bad a rider I proved to be. It occurred to me as I mounted the beast how long it had been since I last rode one of these creatures anywhere. No sooner had I gotten into the saddle and I was already sore in places I had forgotten could be sore.

Fleet is a magnificent and relaxed rider. Judging by his posture, I believe he has spent much time in the saddle. His horse is an angry, aggressive creature. When I attempted to inspect the beast it nearly bit my nose off, however the create is putty in his hands. I speaks to it with such affection I get the impression that they have been through much together.

Given the vast difference in our skills it was not long before I had fallen behind. When I finally caught up to him he had dispatched two saber cats lurking near the road. It was at this moment that my life changed forever. I saw him look to the sky suddenly as if he had been struck by something unseen. Through the mask I could see his eyes widen as our horses passed in the road. He drove his horse down a narrow canyon and dismounted, as he did so heard the roar echo down the valley.

As I turned my face skyward the late afternoon sun was blocked out by the hulking form of a massive dragon gliding overhead. What happened in the next few moments I could not tell you. I recall hearing my name spoken and then yelled. The sharp thwack of fleet's bow string was like a musical companion to the fear rising in my chest. Paralyzed with fear and fascination crouched motionless in the road watching the beast circle us. The creature attacked the city watch towers across the river and I suddenly realized that Fleet was using his bow to try and draw the creature back to our location. By the gods, why?

I watched in horror as the dragon plunged back across the river. The earth beneath my feet quaked has he landed before me in the road. This should have been my dying moment. If not for Fleet it surely would have been. At first I could not hear him calling to me. I found my self face to face with a creature I had only ever heard of in story and myth. His eyes were as molten iron as he looked into my eyes. I could see my own death reflected in those eyes when suddenly I heard a cry I had not heard uttered in decades, "Battle Mage, to me!"

The battle field assembly command of the mages rang in my ears and I snapped to attention. I wheeled around to see Fleet standing in the narrow canyon, fist in the air and shouting. As if an old part of me had come back to life, I answered the call. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me down the road into the throat of the canyon. The ground shook at my back and I knew I was only moments from death. As I ran ever onward toward my commanding officer's arrows whistled past my left ear. I could hear the thumps as they reached their targets.

It was as if waking from a terrible dream. Reality rushed back and I saw Fleet before me loosing arrows with blinding speed. "Defend the King!" he shouted with deadly authority and I knew what he was asking of me. I shrouded myself in a cloak of defensive spells and ran for the opposite end of the canyon. He needs me to draw the enemy into the choke point. The enemy? The dragon. If the gods be good let me survive to tell of the magnificence and horror of this story but if I should die, what a way to go it would be!

I was still running for the far end of the canyon when the beast dropped before me, blood lust in his eyes. I struck him time after time from my staff back pedaling down the canyon the way I had come. As I did so I passed Little Feather moving forward, shot after shot leaving his bow. When finally the creature collapsed he turned to me filled with the zeal of battle and exclaimed, "Well done, mage! Well done!"