Decker smiled and headed out the door to ring the meeting bell, leaving Sagina there with Tobias.
“Tobias, are you feeling ok? There’re rumors others have heard you talking to yourself. They say you are talking to ghosts or some nonsense.”
Tobias poured another mug of whiskey and offered some to Sagina, who quickly turned it down.
“I’m fine, Sagina, and now I know what we need to do.
She was just about to ask what he meant when the meeting bell rang out in the square. Tobias stepped past her and opened the door.
“You will want to hear this, as it pertains to every one of us.” With that, he stepped outside and headed towards the meeting spot in the village square. Sagina looked around the empty house once more then followed him out.
When they reached the square, everyone was there waiting for them. The other Rangers waited anxiously for Tobias to speak, eager to hear what he had to say.
“Friends, I know I have been distant lately, but Max’s death has been hard on me. As I’m sure it has on all of you as well. But after much soul-searching, I know what we need to do.
We need to take this fight to the Orcs’. We need to drive them savages from our forest for good! We need to avenge Max’s death! We need to kill them all before they can completely take this forest from us.
The other Rangers all looked at each other with astonishment. None knew what to say as they all turned back to Tobias.
“These filthy Faespawn must have been behind Max’s poisoning and in fact, all of Agnar. Now they wish to take our home from us. We cannot allow that to happen. As Thorn Callers’ it is our sacred duty to protect this forest and every village in it.”
He hadn’t even got the words out good when Tobias caught sight of Decker on his left, shaking his head and looking very concerned.
“Is there something you want to say, Decker?” Tobias asked the swordmaster.
“There is, Tobias. You can’t be serious? To attack the Orcs head on is suicide, and you know it. Our numbers will not last a day against theirs. Surely you can see that.
Even now, they grow by the day as more arrive from the Dread Wastes. We need to be smart about this. We need to send for help.”
Tobias listened to Decker then turned to the others.
“And where would this help come from? Crag Moor? Esterle? There is no one else. Even if we sent out the call for help and all of our members arrived from the other lands, it would only raise our ranks a few dozens. No, we are the only ones who can do this, and we will do this Decker.”
The other Rangers listened intently to the debate, not knowing what, if anything, they should say. The Thorn Callers had been their home and family since many were young. But this was madness, and they all knew it.
“What good will it do if we all get killed, Tobias?” Decker asked, growing angry at the stubbornness of his friend.
“What about Rone? Didn’t Max himself send him on a mission to stop the spread of the Chimera poison? Maybe whatever he was sent for will aid us against the Orcs as well.”
Tobias flushed red at the mention of Rone’s name. He had so far hidden the fact that he blamed all of this on the half-blood, but to have him thrown in his face this way almost sent him over the edge.
“The half-blood will aid us when he returns; of this, I have no doubt. But, until he does, we have no choice if we want to have a home to save at all.
Every day the Orc’s move further into the forest. We must act now if we are to have a chance at all.” Tobias said, nodding his head.
To the others, he must have appeared to be nodding at all of them, but Decker sensed that was not truly the case. Though he could see nothing that would suggest his hunch was right.
Tobias could see him, though. The shade of Maximilian ForestWhisper smiled at him then faded away.
“And what if we don’t follow this madness, Tobias? What if we refuse to commit suicide simply because you will not listen to reason?”
Decker's words hit him as hard any slap ever could and evoked nearly the same amount of rage.
“Any Ranger that refuses the orders of its commander will be exiled or worse,” Tobias said, staring coldly at Decker.
You are all Thorn Callers. If you refuse this order, you refuse to uphold your sacred oaths to the forest. This, I will not allow. So, if you chose not to fulfill your vows, then leave but do so before nightfall. After that, I’ll kill any coward I find in our village.
Decker could not believe what he was hearing. He had known Tobias could be stubborn and a little brash, but he would never have expected this.
“I will neither leave nor follow this order Tobias.” The sword master’s tone was low and deadly.
“You do not deserve to lead these men. You’re sick, Tobias. Max’s death has addled your senses. Otherwise, you would see this plan will not work.
Decker was almost pleading with Tobias now, knowing if he doesn’t see reason. A fight would be unavoidable.
Tobias’s rage was apparent on his face as he stood still as a statue staring at the swordmaster.
“You would do wise to walk away now, Decker,” Tobias said as he positioned himself to spring an attack.
“I cannot Tobias. I cannot walk away in good conscience when I know you are willingly going to cost the lives of so many of our friends and family.”
Decker was now moving in a circle around Tobias. As the other Rangers, all began to spread out, giving their two respected members a vast area in which to move.
Sagina watched in horror as the men squared off and took on the stances of two warriors about to duel. Unable to stand the thoughts of what she was about to see, she rushed forward, grabbing Tobias by the back of his shoulder. Hoping to stop this from happening.
Whether out of surprise or pure anger, the touch of her hand sent Tobias into action. Before he even realized it, he had drawn his dagger and thrust it forth as he spun towards whoever had grabbed him.
The look of pain and the sickening cough that came from the druid's throat splattered blood on his face as she desperately tried to pull the blade from between her breasts.
“No!” Decker shouted, rushing forward, grabbing Sagina before she collapsed. He gently lay her down and screamed for them to bring the cleric called Kelenvor.
But none moved as they stood there nearly in tears, as they could see it was already too late. The light of life had already faded from Sagina’s beautiful green eyes, and her chest was no longer rising with breath.
Decker held her for a few moments more before slowly laying her on the ground and rising to his feet.
“What have you done, Tobias? See what your madness has done? What do you say now? How do you justify this?”
Tobias was just standing there, staring down at Sagina with a cold, empty look in his eyes. As they slowly rose to meet Decker’s, he drew his sword and dropped into a full guard.
“This is your fault swordmaster,” Tobias spit the words as if they had left a bitter taste in his mouth.
“If you had not sought to question my orders, this would not have happened.”
“You dare blame this on me? Decker shouted in anger as he drew his own sword.
The two men began to circle each other once more as each watched for an opening from the other. When at last their blades did meet, the clash of metal was so loud it sent the forest creatures outside the village scurrying for cover.
Both men struck blow after blow, only to have it parried or blocked each time. Tobias dropped low and slipped to the outside of Decker’s guard, allowing him to land a glancing blow to his right forearm.