Zarths escpae part 4

Zarth was sitting in a small dingy tavern, in the village of shade. It had got its name from being built under a huge overhang in a cliff, right next to the forests of Dunbar. This left the village in shade for most of the day. Zarth was sitting in a quite corner of the tavern away from the other people, sipping a tankard of ale. It tasted weak and unpleasant so he left it on the table top and settled back to listen to the three woodmen, talking loudly two tables away from him.
“The wizards are out in force you know," said one burly man with small black beard. “They say that they have released the hunterians." The man sat back and shivered. A small fat man spoke next " yeah, they find everything they hunt for, I don't think they have failed yet!" there hunting a thief, he was meant to have stole the dragon stone, wizards say there’s 1000 in gold for anybody who brings him. I wouldn't mind finding him myself."

Zarth felt panic settle in, he had heard of what the hunterians were capable of. Once a few years ago a renegade wizard had tried to flee but they had caught him within the same day, even after the renegade had used his magic to escape by making himself invisible and also so that no tracks showed up on the ground where he walked, they had still caught him. They had dragged him to a cave, where he was hung upside down then tortured before being taken back to the wizards keep. This is the last thing Zarth wanted to happen to him, so getting up from the table Zarth paid for his drink, and then set off from the tavern. He had been in the village for too long, he should have known they would send the hunterians. He had seen them back at the capital, they looked like lions but were grey, sleek, fast and could blend into there environment, they also had wickedly shaped claws just like the dargulth which he had destroyed over 5 days ago.

For 5 days Zarth had travelled across the country, stopping at several villages for supplies, at each one he heard that the wizards were looking for him, but now that the hunterians were after him he had to be extra careful. Walking out of the village Zarth entered the forest of Dunbar, the forest scents meet him straight away and the soft pine covered ground. Zarth walked for several hours, absorbed in his own thoughts, he was oblivious to the deathly silence that had descended on the forest, and he only realized something was wrong when a figure speeded past him in the bushes. Using his enhanced senses he scanned the area but found nothing. Hmm must have been the wind thought Zarth, even though there wasn't any. Zarth who was now on edge walked further down the trail he was following, the sun was nearly down, which made the forest nearly pitch back. A dark shape ran across the path in front of him, nearly scaring the life out of him. It had to be just a dear, it had to be, and Zarth assured himself while trying not to panic. Another shape ran in front of him, quickly Zarth summoned a ball of energy which he fired with speed but it hit nothing but the ground causing a steaming hole.

Zarth felt a sharp pain in his leg and when he looked down he saw a small dart sticking out his thigh, immediately he felt the poison go through his body, his legs felt numb making him fall to the forest floor, then he couldn't move his arms, then his neck, he couldn't even scream. Magic could not have saved him. As he lay there paralyzed he saw two dark shapes comes up too him, one nudged Zarth with his foot and when he received no reaction grabbed his leg and pulled him through the forest.

Zarth could not remember being so terrified in his entire life, he had been a professional thief all his life, and was very good at escaping, he had been caught a few times stealing but had always managed to get away. But now he had been caught by the hunterians and with no means of escape, this had to be the scariest time of his life, what made it worse was that he could not even do anything about it. The hunterians dragged him to a tree deep in the forest and away from the main path, and tied him upside down from a large branch using a piece of rope they must have brought with them. Zarth remembered what happened to the renegade wizard who was caught by the hunterians, the thought was too much and he passed out.