Chapter Ten: Battle at the Camp
Kilne and Amitkoa walked a bit behind Zomos. They knew the huge woman didn't feel like talking. The previous night had not gone as any of them had expected.
After making camp the Collossi had taken out the strap-on faux phallus and both Nemorvians had been more than ready to use it to put on a show for their savior. But as the huge woman had started to hand them the device she had stopped, pulling back. Zomos had turned her back on them and hunched over as if a heavy weight was suddenly pressing down on her shoulders.
"I can't," she had mumbled. "I can't ask you to do this."
"But we don't mind," Kilne had quickly told her sincerely. The more she'd thought about it the more she'd wanted to do this thing. She missed doing things like this, missed many of the things that had been part of her old life of sexual servitude.
She'd just started to insist Zomos let them put on the show when Amitkoa placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her. The younger Nemorvian turned to her friend, confused. "I don't understand."
Amitkoa had stared at Zomos' back, sadness in her eyes. "Sometimes the things our bodies need are the last thing our minds need," Amitkoa whispered. "She doesn't want to need this, this curse on her is killing her soul. Can't you see it? The weight of it on her... Gods above, I wonder how long she's suffered?"
"For far too long," Zomos replied, obviously having overheard them. "And even Queen Faeven can't cure me. She says the influence of The Corruption on Alaria is too strong." She sat up and turned to look at them, the sadness on her face turning to burning anger. "That's why I want to fight her war. I want to kill every servant of The Corruption to lessen its influence so that one day I can be cured of this foul curse!"
Since the conversation Zomos hadn't said a word to either of her traveling companions. In the morning the two Nemorvians had woken to find the camp already broken down, just the bedrolls they had slept in needing to be packed away. Zomos had led the way, her huge strides moving her through the forest so fast the two Nemorvians had at times struggled to keep up.
As they pressed through the forest the Collossi had drawn a massive sword, one so big only a being as large as her could ever hope to wield it. They didn't know why she had the weapon drawn. Perhaps she thought there was danger nearby, but more likely the two thought she was so angry and felt so powerless that she needed to feel her weapon in her hands. It was a feeling that both Nemorvians understood the feeling all too well.
Suddenly Zomos threw an arm out, signaling for the two women behind her to stop. A moment later the Collossi dropped to her knees and crouched down behind some thick underbrush, waving for her companions to come to her. They did as she had, dropping low to the ground then crawling to her as they drew their swords.
"What is it," Amitkoa whispered nervously.
Zomos pointed through the underbrush they hid behind at the forest ahead of them. "There is a camp up ahead," she whispered, so quietly they could barely hear her, yet the mix of fear and anger in her voice was clear. "I only got a glimpse. Minotaurs, I'm certain of it."
The two Nemorvians nervously glanced at each other.
"But how?" Amitkoa asked quietly. "We were supposed to be fleeing to safety, not towards danger."
Zomos furrowed her brow, deep in thought. "It doesn't make sense. The queen's protective wards should have kept them away. This isn't right, something dark is at work here." She glanced from the small horned women beside her then out towards the Minotaurs' camp. When she looked back at the Nemorvians her face was full of fierce determination. "They can't be allowed to find the queen's encampment. There is no doubt in my mind that The Corruption is using them to try and locate the queen and her army. We have to make sure they never find her."
Amitkoa peaked over the bushes and quickly dropped back down to the ground, cursing quietly. "There are so many of them! What should we do? Can we try and lead them away? Could we outrun them?"
"No," Zomos said. "Minotaurs are far too fast. I might be able to get away because of how large my legs are, but they'd catch you two almost immediately. We have no choice, we
HAVE
to attack them."
Kilne and Amitkoa's eyes shot open. "No! We can't, there are too many of them."
"We have the element of surprise on our side," Zomos said, already starting to rise. "We attack now and we slay every one of them."
The Collossi was on her feet and rushing forward the instant she finished her sentence. Amitkoa and Kilne swore but got up, rushing forward with her. The three women readied their weapons as they rushed into battle.
Zomos roared as she charged into the Minotaur camp. As the two Nemorvians followed her they saw that the mercenaries, although caught off guard by the surprise charge, were not wholly unprepared for battle. It looked as though the group had just been preparing to leave their camp to go on some sort of patrol, most likely searching for the Nemorvians, and were all fully armed. The monstrous bullheaded men were able to turn and meet Zomos' charge, throwing up large axes and war hammers to defend against the massive blade she slashed at them.
A Minotaur leaped towards Amitkoa, swinging a huge double-bladed axe. Kilne saw the attack before Amitkoa did and the young Nemorvian realized her friend wouldn't see it in time. She screamed, pushing Amitkoa out of the way and swinging her sword up to knock the attack back.