Lavender & Fire

47. Smoke on the Mountain

Butok was leading Kahal and a large mass of guards through the forest when they stopped suddenly, halting the guards behind them.

"Do you smell that?" Kahal asked.

Butok nodded. "Smoke."

"And a lot of it. Let's move." Kahal motioned for the guards to continue on as they all picked up their pace.

"We're here." Butok said fifteen minutes later, taking deep pants of breath. "You know... I'm not made for this long distance jogging. Especially with all of this smoke."

"You did well. It would have taken us considerably longer to go around if you hadn't shown us this path." Kahal gave him a nod. "Thank you."

Butok nodded in return, leaning onto his thighs and drawing in deep breaths.

Kahal turned and gave a pair of guards instructions to hurry back to the Grand Hall and give warning about the fire, and keep it from spreading. Then he gave the remaining guards the signal to spread out and surround the compound. Kahal and the guards who remained with him waited just a few minutes so the others could get in place.

"The fire is spreading. That will have to be enough time. This is it, Butok. Let's go."

Butok simply nodded as he and the guards followed Kahal through the last of the trees and thick smoke and into the lawn of the compound. Thankfully the smoke wasn't quite as thick once out of the trees, even though it was still in the air.  

Kahal held up a fist to halt the others as he assessed the situation. A loud explosion to his right had them all immediately taking cover. A female dressed in a dark armored suit had some kind of large weapon pointed and ready to fire. He looked in the direction her weapon was pointing and saw a handful of Qarthans huddled behind a small shed, looking terrified and seemingly unarmed.

Kahal sprung from his hiding spot and sprinted across the small yard they were in, closing the distance between him and the armed female before she realized he was there. Her eyes rounded in surprise just as his fist came crashing down, knocking her out. The guards came rushing up behind him, scanning the remainder of the area for any additional combatants.

"Where are the others?" He asked the unarmed males when they came out from behind the shed.

"In the larger courtyard, just around the corner. We were all there together until we managed to draw this one away from the others."

"You had her target you on purpose?"

They nodded. He was curious, but he'd have to ask them what their plan was later. "How many of them are there?"

"They started with just over twenty but they're down to no more than twelve now."

"Are any of you armed?"

"No" they shook their heads.

"How'd you get them down to twelve, then?" Butok asked in disbelief.

"It was all Rahn's doing." One of the males said and at that statement, Kahal and Butok shared a knowing look. The time for secrets was officially over.

"Where is she now?" Kahal demanded.

"In the courtyard." He pointed to the same one as earlier.

Kahal wasted no more time, he signaled his guards and they rushed in that direction, now with only a slightly better understanding of what they were getting into.

A loud explosion was heard from that way and they paused against the wall. Butok stopped beside Kahal, carrying the large weapon he had taken from the female.