[The Barrow-Wight]

* * * * * Rhûn Nation * * * * *

Kasteni saw that his chosen warriors had recovered from the battle and were again sharp. The horse soldiers also had regained their composure and were ready for action. He looked out into the darkness, listening for a sign of the were-bears returning, but there was no noise of the the beasts except for a baleful howling far in the distance. The time to move was now.

He accepted a hand from the nearest guard and was pulled up behind him. With one last look around he gave the word, and the entire group took off at a gallop toward the distant lights of the hostel. No one spoke, and the horses grunted heavily as the riders spurred them to even greater speed. Everyone looked fearfully into the inky blackness around them, but there were no more attacks. Finally, they crested the hill and came within shouting distance of the small fort.

“Open the gates in the name of Mislavini!” shouted Kasteni, but there came no reply.

Torches above the tall wooden walls flickered in the wind that had arisen, but no voices could be heard from within the hostel.

Kasteni dismounted and walked to the doors, banging on one with the hilt of his sword.
“Open these gates at once!” he bellowed. But again there was no answer.

The lead guard pressed his horse a step forward and said, “My lord Advisor, I will take three men and do a fast scout of the walls. Perhaps I can find a guard that will answer.

Kasteni answered, “Very well.”

Everyone waited with weapons ready, expecting to hear a guard from within the hostel shout out or sounds of battle from around the wall where the riders had gone. But the four soon appeared from the other direction and reported that they had mad no contact with anyone inside the fort.

“There are signs of a battle on the northwest corner of the hostel,” said the chief guard, “and the body of one of the bear creatures hangs impaled upon one of the wall stakes. There is much blood, and it seems as if the place is desertered.

“Or everyone is dead,” snorted Ulwyte. Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Yes,” said Kasteni quietly. “If anyone was still alive inside they would have gladly let us in to swell their numbers agains this attack. But young Ulwyte is probably correct that there are none left to rescue, or to rescue us. Our refuge has been denied.”

A series of howls, still far away but too close, caused the group to start, and one of the guards pleaded, “What can we do?”
Kasteni thought for a moment and then responded.

“The were-bears fear fire. Let us burn this small fortress and see if it will repel the creatures until the sunrise. After then, it is certain they will retreat, and we will have time to make our escape.”

He turned to Lovek, “Gather every bottle and flask of distilled liquors that this group has.”

A few of the guard groaned but quickly went quiet as they realized the sense of what the Advisor was saying.

Kasteni continued, “Use what you find to ignite the walls of the hostel. The season has been dry, and the wood of this fort is long-overdue for repairs. Hopefully it will burn easily enough.”

He looked at his bandaged right hand and burned clothing.

“I will not be able to aid in setting this place afire.”