Ch. 8 The Hunt Begins

Detric, Jaci and her panther Jasmine, and Alsandair and his wolf Cahan prepared to leave the village. Detric had his pipes fastened to his pack and a dagger at his hip; Jaci, looking rather fierce, in leather armor, her dual scimitars sheathed across her back, a crossbow fastened between them, and a sheath of ten throwing daggers on each thigh; and Alsandair, also wearing leather armor, a massive greatbow and quiver across his back, a scimitar at each side, and on his left sleeve a sheath for five throwing daggers, the three departed the village and headed towards Meadowbrook. Along the way, they bantered amongst themselves, though remaining alert to their surroundings. The three day journey passed without major event, although Detric could not shake the feeling that someone or something was trailing them. Upon their arrival, they began to ensure they had all they would need for an extended journey. Jaci had not been farther east than here, and Alsandair though he had left the forest before, had gone west last time, so once leaving Meadowbrook, they would be relying entirely on whatever trail Emil left behind him and the guidance of the Source. The Elders had given them each a bag of goldpiece to purchase any needed supplies or weapons and such, and Detric was more than grateful for their genorousity, despite the outright animousity of some of the others in the forest. They filled their packs with rations, a few medical supplies, torches, and several other travel odds and ends, and Alsandair grabbed several extra bowstrings and three extra quiver of arrows. Feeling well prepared, they decided to head on out, as the day was still early and there was no reason to tarry. One of the merchants in town had told them that the next closest settlement of any size was Caem, a day or so to the northeast. This would be their direction of travel, they knew Emil was likely to the northeast, so for now that was where they would head.
They traveled along on what could loosely be defined as a road, more two ruts than an actual road, but it would do for now. The countryside, mainly gentle, rolling hills and grassland, with the ocasionaly grouping of trees here and there, was far different than the forest Jaci and Jasmine were used to, and Jasmine was roaming about getting comfortable with this new terrain.
After they had traveled for most of the day, Detric once again had the unmistakable feeling they were being watched. He looked around, there were no trees in the area, only grassland, and the grass was not thick enough for anyone to reasonably hide in and follow them at the same time...yet they were being watched. Suddenly he heard a commotion behind him. The three travelers turned to see Cahan, Alsandair's wolf, chase a rat from the grass. Detric could not be certain, but were that rat's eyes red? The question was quickly answered for him, for as soon as it looked like Cahan would have the rat, it transformed. Standing before them was a tiny creature, horns, batwings, and an ugly greenish skin. It stood not even 2 feet tall, and had the telltale blood red eyes. Before Detric could even react, an arrow flew by his head, the creature disappeared, and he heard an otherworldly shriek. The creature reappered, dead, one of Alsandair's arrows through the side of it's head.
“A Quasit, a demon servant of Emil.” Alsandair spit
“That is what has been following us? Who knows what it has seen, what Emil knows of our plans!”
“No matter, there are likely more about anyways, we must continue on to Caem, we should reach it soon after nightfall.”
“Yes” Detric spoke again, “We will spend the night there, and continue on the morning. Who knows what Emil has sent after us, we will be safer in a settlement than in the open.”
They continued on, moving quickly, not running, but moving with a purpose. As Alsandair had surmised, they reached Caem not long after dusk. It was a small city, built on a hill with a view of all the surrounding area, and was indeed a beautiful place. There was a pub with an inn there, and they rented a room for the night. They wasted no time, as they wanted to get an early start in the morning, so they ate a quick hot meal and headed to the room. The room had no funiture other than a chair, table, and one bed. Alsandair looked at the room, pulled out his bed roll, and placed it against the door, so anyone attempting to enter would first meet him. Detric and Jaci took the bed, Detric focusing on protecting the room before falling to sleep.
The night passed without event, but early the next morning, right as they beginning to awake and prepare for the day, there was a light rap on the door. Alsandair jumped to his feet, his twin scimitars seeming to fly into his hands, and he motioned for Jaci to load her crossbow.
“You need not fear, we are friends, the Source has sent us to aid your quest.”
Detric began to focus. “They speak the truth, open the door.”
Alsandair did so, though not letting down his guard, and Jaci kept her crossbow aimed at the entrance as the door opened. Standing before them was an older man, grey haired, dressed in shined chainmail that seemed almost silver, and, on both his shield and chest were emblazened a shining silver eye. Detric looked again, indeed, his eyes were silver, a true warrior-cleric of the source.
Standing beside him, almost escaping notice, was a very short looking human, or perhaps a halfling? Detric had never seen one close, but he guessed that was what he saw. The halfling had brown hair, and brown, roaming eyes; he wore an unassuming brown robe, and appeared to carry nothing but a small pack on his back.
“Greetings friends, we are -” The warrior-cleric began to speak
“Conall and Crimthann, the Source sent you to aid us, welcome” Detric interrupted “This is Alsandair, Jaci, and I am -”
“You would be Detric” It was Conall's turn to interrupt. He laughed “The Source speaks to me as well my friend”
“Nice to meet you, we should be going now, we must use the daylight whilst we have it” Alsandair strode from the room, not being rude, simply his normal, focused self
The rest of the group followed, Detric and Conall already deep in conversation, Crimthann eyeing Jaci's throwing daggers, likely contemplating “borrowing” them.
As they departed the village and continued northeast, the group became much friendlier, Jaci earned the unending love of Crimthann when, noticing him continuiosly glancing at her sheaths of throwing daggers, she tossed him one of the them. Alsandair began to relax once they were back on the road, and Detric noticed he no longer carried his bow on his back, but out and ready for use,  he now allowed Conall to take the lead of the party.
As they traveled along, Crimthann began to pull items here and there from his pack. Detric was amazed that such a little fellow carried so many things in his pack. To Detric and Jaci he handed each a bracelet and a ring, explaining that, wherever they were, they could call one another to their side, with the bracelets they would never again be separated from one another, and while each was wearing the ring, one can cast a shield around the other, so they may always protect one another from harm.
He also gave Detric what appeared to be a normal looking rapier, a silver eye emblazoned on the hilt.
“This sword, when ever used in battle, is more than just a normal sword. Whenever it hits an enemy, the sword will call forth lightning, and they will be struck. You may also command the sword to be sheathed in bursts of electricity, to be unleashed on your command. These are the gifts of the Source to you.”
“Your gift earlier has increased itself” He turned to Jaci, and handed her a new sheath of ten throwing knives, looking nearly identical to the one she had given him earlier, except each knife hilt, as well as the sheath itself, were adorned with a silver eye.
“Each of these knives, whenever thrown, will return to you once they have found their target. Also, these blades, once thrown, will hit their target, they cannot miss. These are the Sources gifts to you.”
“Alsandair, to you the Source gives a new bow.” All except Conall were amazed to see the halfling pull a new greatbow from his pack, a silver eye above and below where it would be held. “This bow cannot miss it's target, and all arrows fired from it will burst into flame once striking their target, burning your enemies. This is the gift of the Source to you”
And then, as if nothing out of the ordinary occurred, he and Conall continued onward. Alsandair shrugged, placed his old bow on his back and continued on, admiring his new bow as he walked. Detric and Jaci looked at each other, laughed, and followed. This was going to be an interesting hunt.
After travelling through much of the day, they had stopped a ways before what looked like a small cave in a hill. Detric looked at the cave and felt a familiar chill.
“That is where we must go to hunt Emil”
“Yes friend” Conall answered him “but we do not go tonight, we shall make camp a bit away, and enter tomorrow”
The group agreed on a watch, and Alsandair once again took the first watch, as the rest settled in for the night. There was still sometime before it was time to sleep, and all used it to prepare in his own way. Conall had produced a massive greatsword from somewheres, Detric hadn't seen it before, and was ensuring it was ready for battle, as well as checking over all of his armor.
Alsandair was checking his bows, ensuring the bowstrings were in good shape, as well as checking his scimitars and throwing daggers, ensuring none of the sheathed daggers would catch as he drew his bow.
Jaci was using her new daggers, and was delighted to see that Crimthann had not exaggerated. They did not miss, and returned to her after each throw. She checked them and each of her scimitars over to ensure they were sharp and ready for battle.
Detric checked over his weapons and his pipes, ensuring they were ready, then began to focus and pray for the coming conflict. Conall joined him, and they were both certain that the Source was with them for this coming hunt.
Jasmine and Cahan had been off hunting, and both returned, satisfied and content, though the cave made them uneasy, soon after nightfall
they prepared to get some sleep, as Alsandair stood first watch, all wanting to be rested for whatever the coming days held.