Tarithnesti - Battle of the Farmhouse
07 Deepkolt 349 AC
AT THE OTHER FARMHOUSEAs Kysek sends Bubo ahead; he instructs his raptor companion to search the left and right sides of the tracks the enemies left as they came in and to report anything out of the ordinary. Kysek himself follows the tracks as they lie. He stays silent and unseen as he moves forward. He goes out approximately a quarter-mile, searching for any signs of reinforcements following behind the initial attackers. He searches the ground and keeps an eye to the skies as well. The pair finds plenty of tracks and follows them back toward where they came from. They eventually reach the Thon-Thalus River where they locate three rowboats pulled up onto the shore. Bubo flies to the far bank and looks around. There are dozens, if not hundreds of footprints in the mud and melted snow going in numerous directions.
Kysek sends a message to Romulus; “There are more! Prepare! Release Dusk! I’ll meet her in the tree tops!” He instructs Bubo to circle and find any signs of life as he moves away from the water, engages his boots of levitation, rises to the tree tops and awaits Dusk's arrival. As the elf floats above the forest, he looks down at the trails left behind by the invaders. He follows each path with his eyes. In a matter of minutes, he is able to pick out a pattern. The north side of the river appears to have been a staging area. Troops boarded dozens of small boats. Some crossed the river immediately - these proceeded to the farmhouse, only to be slain by Kysek, Romulus, and their troops. The others, it seems, headed downstream for other destinations.
Once his message is sent to Romulus; Kysek concentrates once more. He focuses on Tarithnesti. He focuses upon whomever he is most familiar with. He sends, “They are coming! Prepare! Make ready; NOW!”
He then sends a second message, this one directed to Ornforithalas, giving him the same warning.
Romulus digs through the pockets of the goblins, searching for some kind of unit identification or, if he's incredibly lucky, actual written orders or a map. Unfortunately, he has no such luck - turning up a handful of bent copper coins, some chicken bones, and what smells like spiced frog jerky.
He receives the message from Kysek and does as directed, releasing Dusk from her pen. The griffon takes to the air and flies toward her master.
THE EASTERN RIDGES
Ornforithalas and his scouts move along the eastern ridges as they were ordered to by Commander Parnitha. They move along the trails between the higher elevations where snow still clings stubbornly to ground that sunlight doesn't reach this early in the year.
Suddenly, the captain hears Kysek’s voice - magically sent to him over many miles.
“They are coming! Prepare! Make ready; NOW!”
Ornforithalas raises a hand, fist closed. The line of scouts halts. His eyes narrow, his mind running over the words and the hurried tone they carried.
Ornforithalas speaks, his voice low. "Lethien - signal arrow at the ready, do not loose until I give the order. Njigba, take two, flank east. I want eyes on the riverbend. The rest of you, spread - shadow protocol, no skyline."
As everyone moves to obey his commands, Ornforithalas takes a moment to think about Tephysea and Respen, hoping that this doesn't prove to be the battle that takes him from them.
THE PROTECTOR'S TOWER
Commander Parnitha and Eilra follow Lieutenant Fenar down to the docks. The small boat rests against the pilings, held there by the current. The two officers peer down inside. The blood spatters are significant, the acid stain carries a strong chemical odor.
Parnitha sighs, "Do we know where this came from?"
Fenar shakes his head, "Just from upriver. Nothing left to say who its passengers were or whose side they were on."
"Quarantine the vessel,” she orders. “No one boards without my say. I want a mage to look at that acid before it eats through more than wood.”
Eilra nods sharply, already turning to signal the dockhands.
Parnitha’s stares out over the river and the quarry beyond, wondering if the enemy has already made it across to the other side.
AT THE FIRST FARMSTEAD
Grotto sits in the cold behind the cover of the wall. He feels torn and confused. "Surely I'm not beholden to a dark power. This lord asked me 'would I fight evil' in the tomb. I have done nothing but fight evil since the dreams began. My will is strong, I will not fall to the darkness. My path is clear." Grotto then smiles a wide grin, "Plus, vengeance upon these goblins warms my heart! I have waited all my life for revenge against their kind! No better place than here, no better time than now!" He thinks to himself.
The dwarf’s eyes grow heavy. The sounds of battle carried here by the wind from the distant farmhouse have long since fallen silent. The surge of adrenaline that sped his heart and enflamed his spirit has faded away. He shakes his head, fending off his body's desire for sleep.
The wind that stirring the branches in the orchard stills. Grotto feels something massive press close - he sees nothing but he can feel it coming - war.
Ra’ziir stands by in the barn while awaiting the impending assault. He climbs up into the rafters and peers out between the slats covering a small window. Redclaw rises to his feet and shakes, rustling his feathers and flexing his talons. He turns in a circle and lays down again, getting comfortable once again. He lets out a quiet huff and tilts his head, listening for the approach of enemies.
Through a narrow gap in the window slats, Ra'ziir has a pretty good vantage of the yard, the low stone wall where Grotto crouches with two of the scouts, the farmhouse beyond where he can Raven climbing out onto the roof, and the very edge of the orchard beyond.
He can sense something is wrong. There is no sound beyond the creaking of tree branches in the breeze. No birdsong, no animals moving through the brush.
For half of a second, he thinks he spots motion between the boughs, something too quick to make out clearly, something trying to remain hidden.
Raven draws Nightwatcher, his fingers wrapped around the Rod of Alertness forming its new hilt. The magic stored within expands his senses, allowing him to see things cloaked in Invisibility. His eyes scan the orchard, looking for any sign of movement.
From his position, he has a wider field of vision than Ra'ziir - no walls or window frames bar his view. At the eastern tree line, he sees them. Shadowy figures moving from cover to cover, using the trees to conceal themselves. Crouched, armored. Beyond them, something larger moves - a blocky humanoid shape as tall as the roof where Raven hides.
All three of the heroes, all of Ra'ziir's scouts, sense it at once - a psychic intrusion that presses on their will, turning stout hearts to quailing masses of nerves.
Ra'ziir "speaks" through his mental link to Raven “It seems our guests have arrived… Should I summon an Elemental Monolith for them to play with or do we want to take it on ourselves?”
Raven sends back, "Hold off. They may just be probing. Save the Elemental for a dragon or wizard."
Grotto sounds the bird call alarm to signal to the others that they have company. The rush of adrenaline makes his heavy eyes wide with anticipation. He carefully peers over the wall. He squints his eyes and concentrates his dark vision to the low light to find any movement of the enemy, patiently waiting until they are close enough to rise and strike.
Ra’ziir whistles down to Redclaw, “Wake up big guy… enemies approach.” The Bladesinger swings down from his perch and quickly sets to saddling the griffon.
Redclaw rises to his feet and spreads his wings, allowing Ra'ziir to quickly saddle the and strap its harness into place. The bladesinger works quickly, hands long practiced at casting spells make short work of threading belts through buckles and tightening everything into place.
Ra'ziir grabs the end of the rope holding the door chocks in place, ready to pull them at a moment's notice. Redclaw chirps quietly beneath him, craning his neck to get a good look at his rider. The griffon takes a deep breath, testing the solidity of his saddle and paws the ground with taloned feet.
Outside, Ra'ziir's scouts, alerted by Grotto’s bird call, shift slightly, hands gripping bows or grasping spears. Adrenaline floods through the dwarf’s body, readying him to fight. Soft crunches of booted feet on frozen snow carry across the open yard. Through the low light, figures begin coming into view. Hunched, reptilian bodies, covered in chain armor, bearing shields in one hand and spears in the other. Beyond them, a larger figure looms at the edge of the tree line. It comes to a stop, head slowly turning from one side to the other. A boulder the size of Grotto’s entire chest is gripped in one hand. It glances downward and nods its head, acknowledging an order given.
On the roof, Raven draws one of the crystalline arrows from his quiver, concealing its glowing head in the folds of his long coat and takes a slow breath.
Grotto grabs his returning throwing axe. He waits silently as the fiends draw closer to be in range for a deadly throw. "Concentrate the initial attack to the one on the right side. Take him by surprise and kill him right away. This will lessen our chances we get flanked on that side!" Grotto whispers to the elves hidden by the wall with him. "Also, be careful when you down one. The enemy tends to explode on their death. Be sure to back away after delivering a fatal blow! They are nearly in range, be ready!"
Raven, still crouching behind the farmhouse chimney, rises from his spot and calls out, "NOW" both orally and through the mindlink. Drawing and firing as quickly as he is able, Raven sends four crystal-tipped arrows streaking across the pre-dawn farmyard. The first two and the fourth all hit center mass on the large figure while the third strikes the giant in the forehead. It roars in pain, staggering slightly and hurls its boulder.
The stone crashes into the chimney, blasting it asunder. Raven is struck with dozens of shards and is knocked from the roof. A second giant steps out of the trees and throws a massive rock as well. The swordsman rolls backwards, pressing himself against the wall. The rock hits the ground just in front of him and bounces, passing over his body and crashing through the side of the house and into the kitchen.
Four Baaz, armed with bows, slink out of the woods while four more come down the lane toward the house. Their reptilian eyes scan the farmstead. One of the archers by the treeline shouts, "THERE!" He draws and fires a shot through the hole in the side of the house. His compatriots fire as well. Two of Ra'ziir's scouts, dazed from the boulder attack, are struck down in an instant.
As Grotto and the scouts behind the wall leap to their feet, the archers in the lane fire as well. The scout to either side of the dwarf fall, pierced by enemy arrows.
Grotto hurls his magical axe toward one of the Baaz on the path. The double-bitted weapon tumbles end over end and crashes directly into the face of the Draconian on the far right of their line. The blow splits its head in half, slaying the creature instantly. As it falls, its body transforms into stone while Grotto’s axe reverses course and flies back to his hand.
As Raven begins pushing his way back onto his feet, he catches a glimpse of a black-robed figure moving through the woods and place a hand on the giant's leg before moving somewhere out of sight.
A second later, screaming Baaz warriors break from cover, rushing out of the woods and down the lane toward the farmhouse and the stone wall respectively.
Four of the Draconians reach Raven, stabbing with their spears. The elf's enchanted mithral shirt absorbs most of the hits and the swordsman only suffers a single shallow scratch across one arm.
The Baaz who reach the stone wall leap over, weapons pointed at Grotto but between his shield and swings of his axe, he manages to fend off his attackers.
Ra’ziir yanks on the rope attached to the wedges holding the barn doors in place. The doors topple forward, smashing into the ground with a mighty crash.
Redclaw is in motion before they even hit the ground, launching himself and his rider into the air with an ear-piercing screech.
The black-robed elfemental scans the ground below, taking in the tactical situation and launches a fireball toward the archers inside the treeline, reducing them to cinders.
As the flames die away, Ra'ziir sees a black-armored figure cuts through the trees to the giant Raven shot with arrows and tap him with a slender baton. The bleeding from its wounds slows and one of the arrows is pushed completely out of its chest.
Ra'ziir's remaining scouts open fire with their bows, targeting the Baaz archers in the lane. Half of them manage to strike telling blows against the enemy forces but none of the Baaz are slain.
Raven roars his defiance, drawing Nightwatcher as he rises to his feet and throws himself into the fight with the four Draconians. With all of his might, he swings the night unbreakable blade at hip level on his enemies. It slices through them all like a flaming knife through parchment in a single swing. Entrails start to spill but as the life leaves his attackers, their bodies petrify. Raven turns his gaze upon the giant at the edge of the woods. He spots more giants beyond the first, as well as another dozen or so Baaz.
The giant steps out of orchard and hurls a second stone at Raven. The elf dodges aside. He shouts, "All scouts - target the giants!"
Four of the hairless, gray-skinned brutes burst from the trees. Rocks fly at Raven, Ra'ziir who circles above on Redclaw, and one of the scouts shooting arrows through a second-floor window of the farmhouse. Raven manages to dodge aside but Redclaw’s left wing is clipped by two the passing stones. The last rock crushes the scout, reducing him to a chunky paste spattered across the walls of the upstairs bedroom.
As the last of the rocks fly, the giants burst into motion, racing across the farmyard - two toward the house, one toward the barn, and the last stops, kneeling down beside the giant Raven wounded with his arrows earlier.
Moments later, the kneeling giant's form blurs and becomes hazy. It smiles and rises to its feet and grasping a ten-foot tree trunk to use as a club.
The Draconian archers raise their bows and begin firing arrows at Redclaw but all five shots go wide, passing just behind the powerful mount.
Anger fills Grotto's heart as he sees his brothers in arms fall beside him. "You'll pay for that!" He says as he holds out his hand to catch his axe on the return flight.
Seeing a single blow from his axe are able to take down the foot soldiers, he saves his magic to heal for now.
Confident his magical shield will guard his blind side, he readies himself, axe in both hands. He chops at the Baaz leaping over the wall as a wood cutter would to fell a tree.
The dwarf's axe bites deeply into the first attacker, splitting his belly open. As entrails rain down, Grotto reverses his swing and catches a second attacker on the inside of the Draconian's leg, severing arteries and tendons. He yanks his axe back before either foe can turn to stone and trap his weapon and rams the head of his blade into the chest of a third. That Baaz stumbles backwards into the wall but it snarls and levels its spear at him.
The runes sizzle beneath his skin. Grotto knows he is pleasing a god but doesn't know who. He has no time to think about that. He only knows he is fighting evil as the voice in the tomb asked.
More Baaz pour out of the trees, rushing the wall and the farmhouse.
Ra’ziir pulls Redclaw’s reins to bank toward the robed figure. Once the caster and the giant are in sight, the Eldritch Knight focuses on them - concentrating on their natural conductivity, feeding it, encouraging it, commanding it. Sparks begin to crackle between the two figures with ever growing rapidity until, in a blinding flash, the build-up of power between the two is too powerful to be contained by simple, fleshy bodies and a blast of electricity bursts forth in a powerful arc.
The armored healer is completely incinerated in the blast and the giant staggers, falling to the ground with smoke trailing from his burns.
The remaining scouts do as commanded and begin firing arrows at the oncoming giants. Shafts fill the air, many pelting the gray-skinned brutes but none are able to score a decisive hit against any of them.
Raven surges forward. He can feel Thorgrim throbbing at his hip but he ignores the cursed giant-slayer, not wanting to succumb to the berserker rage it induces.
He sweeps to the right, slashing with his blade. A quick cut splits the thick hide of the giant, slicing through muscles and tendons beneath. The injured leg gives out and the giant falls to one knee. Two more slashes open the gray giant's chest and throat. His momentum carries him into the second artillerist, giving him a chance to slash the giant across the knee.
The surviving giant responds with terrifying speed, its club moving so fast the eye can barely track it. Raven reacts instinctively, dodging and ducking three rapid blows.
The second giant barrels into the side of the barn. There is an ear-splitting crack as the frame buckles. Wood splinters and the entire structure begins to lean away from the giant. Slowly at first, and then with inexorable, terrifying speed it collapses inward, trapping two of Ra'ziir's scouts within.
The Baaz archers give up on trying to shoot Redclaw out of the sky and divert their attention to the scouts moving onto the roof of the farmhouse. One of the elves is merely grazed while the other is struck in the center of his chest and falls, his lifeblood pouring out onto the roof.
Grotto fights from the partial cover of the wall and his shield. He takes great swipes with his axe against his attackers, dispatching his wounded foe and killing another with a pair of powerful strikes. A third blow splits scales and sends another staggering backwards.
The muscles of the blurry giant at the edge of the treeline suddenly swell, becoming more massive. He glances down as if listening to someone and nods - a grin filled with cruelty spreads across his face.
More Baaz rush into the farmyard, angling toward the wall where Grotto is crouching. They hurl spears before drawing their notched shortswords. One lodges in his shield while the other pointed shafts fall all around the armored dwarf.
Ra’ziir shifts in the saddle, and guides Redclaw with both his legs and the reins to swoop low over the archers. A quick spell sends waves of negative energy washing over them, sapping their stamina and leaving them with little energy left to fight.
Redclaw drips from the sky and sinks his talons into one of the archers and hauls him into the air. Ra’ziir surrenders control of his mount as it turns in a tight curve, building momentum. It releases the dragonman at the precise moment needed. The Baaz crashes into the head of the electrified giant, cracking its skull. Both creatures fall to the ground. The giant doesn't rise again but the Baaz groans its agony as it struggles to its feet.
Ra'ziir's remaining scouts turn and fire on the enemy archers. Two of the Draconians fall, pierced by Elven arrows.
Raven weaves in, slipping past the stone giant's defenses and slashes with Nightwatcher. With one powerful blow, the adamantite blade shears through one of the brute's legs, severing it midway up the thigh. The giant topples, blood fountaining against the side of the farmhouse as Raven turns to charge the giant beside the barn.
That giant turns and smashes down with his huge club three times in rapid succession but Raven manages to stay ahead of the blows and angles in for a strike of his own.
The blurred giant rushes forward, its incredible strength further augmented by magic. A two-handed blow crashes down at the swordsman. He dodges aside but is sprayed with shrapnel from a rock that explodes when it is struck.
The three remaining archers, all of whom stand drained of vitality by Ra'ziir's spell begin to fall back, no longer having the strength or will to carry on the fight.
Grotto roars a mighty bellowing war cry at the horde of Baaz closing in on him. Still using the wall as cover, he continues to chop down and quickly remove his axe from the beasts. His runes burn as if they are excited. The small tinges of pain nearly put the dwarf into a euphoric trance, thinking of nothing but war, justice, and vengeance. He believes that every enemy he strikes down brings him closer to his gods.
He dispatches one enemy with two blows of his axe. A third swipe slips around the shield of a second foe, opening a gash in its arm.
A black-robed figure flickers into view beside the wounded giant. Four glowing bolts of energy streak from his outstretched fingers, weaving through the air with perfect accuracy toward Raven. A brooch pinned to his coat flares to life, drawing the attack into its depths and dissipating it before it can cause any harm. The wizard curses and starts to flee.
The Baaz Infantry crash into Grotto. The dwarf’s shield sweeps in from the left to intercept the first attack and manages to block the other two with his axe, even wounding an enemy with a flashing riposte.
He glances up and sees three more Draconians rushing his position.
Ra’ziir leans in tight on Redclaw’s neck “There are scouts trapped in the barn!” As he angles the griffon toward the collapsing structure, “I’m going to leap off and help them. Circle back and attack the archers firing on the others. I’ll signal you when I have those inside out of harm’s way…”
The Bladesinger draws Grumbar’s Razor and prepares to leap as Redclaw flies low past the barn. Hitting the ground and rolling to his feet, smoke and ash billowing around him, Ra’ziir quickly searches for a way to extract the scouts from the building.
He finds one, partially buried in the rubble. He releases his grip on his obsidian blade and grabs a beam. He braces his legs and heaves with all of his might, shifting the pile enough for the scout to crawl out.
Redclaw swoops down again, reaching out with his claws to grab another foe for tossing but the Baaz drops flat, avoiding the strike.
The scouts rain arrows down on the Baaz, taking care to not target the ones closest to Grotto. Several shots hit but, as before, none of the Draconians fall.
Raven spins to face the blurred giant rushing toward him. His eyes dart toward the clouds of snow that explode out from under the giant's feet. The swordsman takes a breath and grips Nightwatcher with both hands. As the hasted giant raises its club to smash Raven into the ground, the elf takes a half-step left and strikes with the speed of a viper. The adamantine blade cuts true. For the briefest of moments, the giant still stands.
Then, its upper half slides and falls from atop its legs. Those remain standing just a bit longer before, they, too, collapse to the ground.
As the giant falls, Raven turns back to face the giant standing between him and the barn. He levels his bloody sword in the giant's direction. Red droplets fall onto the melting snow. "Leave. Take your masters' gold, take your people, take whoever will follow you and walk out of this forest. Tell those who sent you that the next army they send won't get a warning."
He gestures toward the two, twitching halves of the still blurred giant.
"Go. Or join him."
The giant backs down, circling away from the elven warrior and darts toward the edge of the woods. He slips an arm under his last remaining comrade and the two retreat into the woods. They are joined by the Baaz archers, who slowly limp along in retreat.
Grotto leaps atop the wall, smashing two wounded Baaz with his axe, caving in the skulls. His next swipe takes a chunk out a third dragon-man's shoulder.
The remaining Dragonarmy troops, those few who remain, break and run, fleeing into the woods.
Ra’ziir grins devilishly and casts a spell that will enhance his speed and the speed of his allies. He shouts for Redclaw to snatch the wizard and turns his attention toward extracting his other trapped scout from the fallen barn. After a few moments, he grabs a beam and, joined by the scout he already freed, shifts the debris enough for other elf to escape.
Redclaw flies down into woods, keen eyes scanning the ground for the fleeing mage. He spots him at the front of the fleeing column and dives on him. Powerful claws sink into the spellcaster's shoulder, tearing robes and the flesh beneath. Redclaw’s grip slips slightly but his other clawed foot digs in, securing the wizard before he can drop him.
The remaining scouts fire a few departing shots at the fleeing enemies.
Ornforithalas and his scouts move along the eastern ridges as they were ordered to by Commander Parnitha. They move along the trails between the higher elevations where snow still clings stubbornly to ground that sunlight doesn't reach this early in the year.
Suddenly, the captain hears Kysek’s voice - magically sent to him over many miles.
“They are coming! Prepare! Make ready; NOW!”
Ornforithalas raises a hand, fist closed. The line of scouts halts. His eyes narrow, his mind running over the words and the hurried tone they carried.
Ornforithalas speaks, his voice low. "Lethien - signal arrow at the ready, do not loose until I give the order. Njigba, take two, flank east. I want eyes on the riverbend. The rest of you, spread - shadow protocol, no skyline."
As everyone moves to obey his commands, Ornforithalas takes a moment to think about Tephysea and Respen, hoping that this doesn't prove to be the battle that takes him from them.
THE PROTECTOR'S TOWER
Commander Parnitha and Eilra follow Lieutenant Fenar down to the docks. The small boat rests against the pilings, held there by the current. The two officers peer down inside. The blood spatters are significant, the acid stain carries a strong chemical odor.
Parnitha sighs, "Do we know where this came from?"
Fenar shakes his head, "Just from upriver. Nothing left to say who its passengers were or whose side they were on."
"Quarantine the vessel,” she orders. “No one boards without my say. I want a mage to look at that acid before it eats through more than wood.”
Eilra nods sharply, already turning to signal the dockhands.
Parnitha’s stares out over the river and the quarry beyond, wondering if the enemy has already made it across to the other side.
AT THE FIRST FARMSTEAD
Grotto sits in the cold behind the cover of the wall. He feels torn and confused. "Surely I'm not beholden to a dark power. This lord asked me 'would I fight evil' in the tomb. I have done nothing but fight evil since the dreams began. My will is strong, I will not fall to the darkness. My path is clear." Grotto then smiles a wide grin, "Plus, vengeance upon these goblins warms my heart! I have waited all my life for revenge against their kind! No better place than here, no better time than now!" He thinks to himself.
The dwarf’s eyes grow heavy. The sounds of battle carried here by the wind from the distant farmhouse have long since fallen silent. The surge of adrenaline that sped his heart and enflamed his spirit has faded away. He shakes his head, fending off his body's desire for sleep.
The wind that stirring the branches in the orchard stills. Grotto feels something massive press close - he sees nothing but he can feel it coming - war.
Ra’ziir stands by in the barn while awaiting the impending assault. He climbs up into the rafters and peers out between the slats covering a small window. Redclaw rises to his feet and shakes, rustling his feathers and flexing his talons. He turns in a circle and lays down again, getting comfortable once again. He lets out a quiet huff and tilts his head, listening for the approach of enemies.
Through a narrow gap in the window slats, Ra'ziir has a pretty good vantage of the yard, the low stone wall where Grotto crouches with two of the scouts, the farmhouse beyond where he can Raven climbing out onto the roof, and the very edge of the orchard beyond.
He can sense something is wrong. There is no sound beyond the creaking of tree branches in the breeze. No birdsong, no animals moving through the brush.
For half of a second, he thinks he spots motion between the boughs, something too quick to make out clearly, something trying to remain hidden.
Raven draws Nightwatcher, his fingers wrapped around the Rod of Alertness forming its new hilt. The magic stored within expands his senses, allowing him to see things cloaked in Invisibility. His eyes scan the orchard, looking for any sign of movement.
From his position, he has a wider field of vision than Ra'ziir - no walls or window frames bar his view. At the eastern tree line, he sees them. Shadowy figures moving from cover to cover, using the trees to conceal themselves. Crouched, armored. Beyond them, something larger moves - a blocky humanoid shape as tall as the roof where Raven hides.
All three of the heroes, all of Ra'ziir's scouts, sense it at once - a psychic intrusion that presses on their will, turning stout hearts to quailing masses of nerves.
Ra'ziir "speaks" through his mental link to Raven “It seems our guests have arrived… Should I summon an Elemental Monolith for them to play with or do we want to take it on ourselves?”
Raven sends back, "Hold off. They may just be probing. Save the Elemental for a dragon or wizard."
Grotto sounds the bird call alarm to signal to the others that they have company. The rush of adrenaline makes his heavy eyes wide with anticipation. He carefully peers over the wall. He squints his eyes and concentrates his dark vision to the low light to find any movement of the enemy, patiently waiting until they are close enough to rise and strike.
Ra’ziir whistles down to Redclaw, “Wake up big guy… enemies approach.” The Bladesinger swings down from his perch and quickly sets to saddling the griffon.
Redclaw rises to his feet and spreads his wings, allowing Ra'ziir to quickly saddle the and strap its harness into place. The bladesinger works quickly, hands long practiced at casting spells make short work of threading belts through buckles and tightening everything into place.
Ra'ziir grabs the end of the rope holding the door chocks in place, ready to pull them at a moment's notice. Redclaw chirps quietly beneath him, craning his neck to get a good look at his rider. The griffon takes a deep breath, testing the solidity of his saddle and paws the ground with taloned feet.
Outside, Ra'ziir's scouts, alerted by Grotto’s bird call, shift slightly, hands gripping bows or grasping spears. Adrenaline floods through the dwarf’s body, readying him to fight. Soft crunches of booted feet on frozen snow carry across the open yard. Through the low light, figures begin coming into view. Hunched, reptilian bodies, covered in chain armor, bearing shields in one hand and spears in the other. Beyond them, a larger figure looms at the edge of the tree line. It comes to a stop, head slowly turning from one side to the other. A boulder the size of Grotto’s entire chest is gripped in one hand. It glances downward and nods its head, acknowledging an order given.
On the roof, Raven draws one of the crystalline arrows from his quiver, concealing its glowing head in the folds of his long coat and takes a slow breath.
Grotto grabs his returning throwing axe. He waits silently as the fiends draw closer to be in range for a deadly throw. "Concentrate the initial attack to the one on the right side. Take him by surprise and kill him right away. This will lessen our chances we get flanked on that side!" Grotto whispers to the elves hidden by the wall with him. "Also, be careful when you down one. The enemy tends to explode on their death. Be sure to back away after delivering a fatal blow! They are nearly in range, be ready!"
Raven, still crouching behind the farmhouse chimney, rises from his spot and calls out, "NOW" both orally and through the mindlink. Drawing and firing as quickly as he is able, Raven sends four crystal-tipped arrows streaking across the pre-dawn farmyard. The first two and the fourth all hit center mass on the large figure while the third strikes the giant in the forehead. It roars in pain, staggering slightly and hurls its boulder.
The stone crashes into the chimney, blasting it asunder. Raven is struck with dozens of shards and is knocked from the roof. A second giant steps out of the trees and throws a massive rock as well. The swordsman rolls backwards, pressing himself against the wall. The rock hits the ground just in front of him and bounces, passing over his body and crashing through the side of the house and into the kitchen.
Four Baaz, armed with bows, slink out of the woods while four more come down the lane toward the house. Their reptilian eyes scan the farmstead. One of the archers by the treeline shouts, "THERE!" He draws and fires a shot through the hole in the side of the house. His compatriots fire as well. Two of Ra'ziir's scouts, dazed from the boulder attack, are struck down in an instant.
As Grotto and the scouts behind the wall leap to their feet, the archers in the lane fire as well. The scout to either side of the dwarf fall, pierced by enemy arrows.
Grotto hurls his magical axe toward one of the Baaz on the path. The double-bitted weapon tumbles end over end and crashes directly into the face of the Draconian on the far right of their line. The blow splits its head in half, slaying the creature instantly. As it falls, its body transforms into stone while Grotto’s axe reverses course and flies back to his hand.
As Raven begins pushing his way back onto his feet, he catches a glimpse of a black-robed figure moving through the woods and place a hand on the giant's leg before moving somewhere out of sight.
A second later, screaming Baaz warriors break from cover, rushing out of the woods and down the lane toward the farmhouse and the stone wall respectively.
Four of the Draconians reach Raven, stabbing with their spears. The elf's enchanted mithral shirt absorbs most of the hits and the swordsman only suffers a single shallow scratch across one arm.
The Baaz who reach the stone wall leap over, weapons pointed at Grotto but between his shield and swings of his axe, he manages to fend off his attackers.
Ra’ziir yanks on the rope attached to the wedges holding the barn doors in place. The doors topple forward, smashing into the ground with a mighty crash.
Redclaw is in motion before they even hit the ground, launching himself and his rider into the air with an ear-piercing screech.
The black-robed elfemental scans the ground below, taking in the tactical situation and launches a fireball toward the archers inside the treeline, reducing them to cinders.
As the flames die away, Ra'ziir sees a black-armored figure cuts through the trees to the giant Raven shot with arrows and tap him with a slender baton. The bleeding from its wounds slows and one of the arrows is pushed completely out of its chest.
Ra'ziir's remaining scouts open fire with their bows, targeting the Baaz archers in the lane. Half of them manage to strike telling blows against the enemy forces but none of the Baaz are slain.
Raven roars his defiance, drawing Nightwatcher as he rises to his feet and throws himself into the fight with the four Draconians. With all of his might, he swings the night unbreakable blade at hip level on his enemies. It slices through them all like a flaming knife through parchment in a single swing. Entrails start to spill but as the life leaves his attackers, their bodies petrify. Raven turns his gaze upon the giant at the edge of the woods. He spots more giants beyond the first, as well as another dozen or so Baaz.
The giant steps out of orchard and hurls a second stone at Raven. The elf dodges aside. He shouts, "All scouts - target the giants!"
Four of the hairless, gray-skinned brutes burst from the trees. Rocks fly at Raven, Ra'ziir who circles above on Redclaw, and one of the scouts shooting arrows through a second-floor window of the farmhouse. Raven manages to dodge aside but Redclaw’s left wing is clipped by two the passing stones. The last rock crushes the scout, reducing him to a chunky paste spattered across the walls of the upstairs bedroom.
As the last of the rocks fly, the giants burst into motion, racing across the farmyard - two toward the house, one toward the barn, and the last stops, kneeling down beside the giant Raven wounded with his arrows earlier.
Moments later, the kneeling giant's form blurs and becomes hazy. It smiles and rises to its feet and grasping a ten-foot tree trunk to use as a club.
The Draconian archers raise their bows and begin firing arrows at Redclaw but all five shots go wide, passing just behind the powerful mount.
Anger fills Grotto's heart as he sees his brothers in arms fall beside him. "You'll pay for that!" He says as he holds out his hand to catch his axe on the return flight.
Seeing a single blow from his axe are able to take down the foot soldiers, he saves his magic to heal for now.
Confident his magical shield will guard his blind side, he readies himself, axe in both hands. He chops at the Baaz leaping over the wall as a wood cutter would to fell a tree.
The dwarf's axe bites deeply into the first attacker, splitting his belly open. As entrails rain down, Grotto reverses his swing and catches a second attacker on the inside of the Draconian's leg, severing arteries and tendons. He yanks his axe back before either foe can turn to stone and trap his weapon and rams the head of his blade into the chest of a third. That Baaz stumbles backwards into the wall but it snarls and levels its spear at him.
The runes sizzle beneath his skin. Grotto knows he is pleasing a god but doesn't know who. He has no time to think about that. He only knows he is fighting evil as the voice in the tomb asked.
More Baaz pour out of the trees, rushing the wall and the farmhouse.
Ra’ziir pulls Redclaw’s reins to bank toward the robed figure. Once the caster and the giant are in sight, the Eldritch Knight focuses on them - concentrating on their natural conductivity, feeding it, encouraging it, commanding it. Sparks begin to crackle between the two figures with ever growing rapidity until, in a blinding flash, the build-up of power between the two is too powerful to be contained by simple, fleshy bodies and a blast of electricity bursts forth in a powerful arc.
The armored healer is completely incinerated in the blast and the giant staggers, falling to the ground with smoke trailing from his burns.
The remaining scouts do as commanded and begin firing arrows at the oncoming giants. Shafts fill the air, many pelting the gray-skinned brutes but none are able to score a decisive hit against any of them.
Raven surges forward. He can feel Thorgrim throbbing at his hip but he ignores the cursed giant-slayer, not wanting to succumb to the berserker rage it induces.
He sweeps to the right, slashing with his blade. A quick cut splits the thick hide of the giant, slicing through muscles and tendons beneath. The injured leg gives out and the giant falls to one knee. Two more slashes open the gray giant's chest and throat. His momentum carries him into the second artillerist, giving him a chance to slash the giant across the knee.
The surviving giant responds with terrifying speed, its club moving so fast the eye can barely track it. Raven reacts instinctively, dodging and ducking three rapid blows.
The second giant barrels into the side of the barn. There is an ear-splitting crack as the frame buckles. Wood splinters and the entire structure begins to lean away from the giant. Slowly at first, and then with inexorable, terrifying speed it collapses inward, trapping two of Ra'ziir's scouts within.
The Baaz archers give up on trying to shoot Redclaw out of the sky and divert their attention to the scouts moving onto the roof of the farmhouse. One of the elves is merely grazed while the other is struck in the center of his chest and falls, his lifeblood pouring out onto the roof.
Grotto fights from the partial cover of the wall and his shield. He takes great swipes with his axe against his attackers, dispatching his wounded foe and killing another with a pair of powerful strikes. A third blow splits scales and sends another staggering backwards.
The muscles of the blurry giant at the edge of the treeline suddenly swell, becoming more massive. He glances down as if listening to someone and nods - a grin filled with cruelty spreads across his face.
More Baaz rush into the farmyard, angling toward the wall where Grotto is crouching. They hurl spears before drawing their notched shortswords. One lodges in his shield while the other pointed shafts fall all around the armored dwarf.
Ra’ziir shifts in the saddle, and guides Redclaw with both his legs and the reins to swoop low over the archers. A quick spell sends waves of negative energy washing over them, sapping their stamina and leaving them with little energy left to fight.
Redclaw drips from the sky and sinks his talons into one of the archers and hauls him into the air. Ra’ziir surrenders control of his mount as it turns in a tight curve, building momentum. It releases the dragonman at the precise moment needed. The Baaz crashes into the head of the electrified giant, cracking its skull. Both creatures fall to the ground. The giant doesn't rise again but the Baaz groans its agony as it struggles to its feet.
Ra'ziir's remaining scouts turn and fire on the enemy archers. Two of the Draconians fall, pierced by Elven arrows.
Raven weaves in, slipping past the stone giant's defenses and slashes with Nightwatcher. With one powerful blow, the adamantite blade shears through one of the brute's legs, severing it midway up the thigh. The giant topples, blood fountaining against the side of the farmhouse as Raven turns to charge the giant beside the barn.
That giant turns and smashes down with his huge club three times in rapid succession but Raven manages to stay ahead of the blows and angles in for a strike of his own.
The blurred giant rushes forward, its incredible strength further augmented by magic. A two-handed blow crashes down at the swordsman. He dodges aside but is sprayed with shrapnel from a rock that explodes when it is struck.
The three remaining archers, all of whom stand drained of vitality by Ra'ziir's spell begin to fall back, no longer having the strength or will to carry on the fight.
Grotto roars a mighty bellowing war cry at the horde of Baaz closing in on him. Still using the wall as cover, he continues to chop down and quickly remove his axe from the beasts. His runes burn as if they are excited. The small tinges of pain nearly put the dwarf into a euphoric trance, thinking of nothing but war, justice, and vengeance. He believes that every enemy he strikes down brings him closer to his gods.
He dispatches one enemy with two blows of his axe. A third swipe slips around the shield of a second foe, opening a gash in its arm.
A black-robed figure flickers into view beside the wounded giant. Four glowing bolts of energy streak from his outstretched fingers, weaving through the air with perfect accuracy toward Raven. A brooch pinned to his coat flares to life, drawing the attack into its depths and dissipating it before it can cause any harm. The wizard curses and starts to flee.
The Baaz Infantry crash into Grotto. The dwarf’s shield sweeps in from the left to intercept the first attack and manages to block the other two with his axe, even wounding an enemy with a flashing riposte.
He glances up and sees three more Draconians rushing his position.
Ra’ziir leans in tight on Redclaw’s neck “There are scouts trapped in the barn!” As he angles the griffon toward the collapsing structure, “I’m going to leap off and help them. Circle back and attack the archers firing on the others. I’ll signal you when I have those inside out of harm’s way…”
The Bladesinger draws Grumbar’s Razor and prepares to leap as Redclaw flies low past the barn. Hitting the ground and rolling to his feet, smoke and ash billowing around him, Ra’ziir quickly searches for a way to extract the scouts from the building.
He finds one, partially buried in the rubble. He releases his grip on his obsidian blade and grabs a beam. He braces his legs and heaves with all of his might, shifting the pile enough for the scout to crawl out.
Redclaw swoops down again, reaching out with his claws to grab another foe for tossing but the Baaz drops flat, avoiding the strike.
The scouts rain arrows down on the Baaz, taking care to not target the ones closest to Grotto. Several shots hit but, as before, none of the Draconians fall.
Raven spins to face the blurred giant rushing toward him. His eyes dart toward the clouds of snow that explode out from under the giant's feet. The swordsman takes a breath and grips Nightwatcher with both hands. As the hasted giant raises its club to smash Raven into the ground, the elf takes a half-step left and strikes with the speed of a viper. The adamantine blade cuts true. For the briefest of moments, the giant still stands.
Then, its upper half slides and falls from atop its legs. Those remain standing just a bit longer before, they, too, collapse to the ground.
As the giant falls, Raven turns back to face the giant standing between him and the barn. He levels his bloody sword in the giant's direction. Red droplets fall onto the melting snow. "Leave. Take your masters' gold, take your people, take whoever will follow you and walk out of this forest. Tell those who sent you that the next army they send won't get a warning."
He gestures toward the two, twitching halves of the still blurred giant.
"Go. Or join him."
The giant backs down, circling away from the elven warrior and darts toward the edge of the woods. He slips an arm under his last remaining comrade and the two retreat into the woods. They are joined by the Baaz archers, who slowly limp along in retreat.
Grotto leaps atop the wall, smashing two wounded Baaz with his axe, caving in the skulls. His next swipe takes a chunk out a third dragon-man's shoulder.
The remaining Dragonarmy troops, those few who remain, break and run, fleeing into the woods.
Ra’ziir grins devilishly and casts a spell that will enhance his speed and the speed of his allies. He shouts for Redclaw to snatch the wizard and turns his attention toward extracting his other trapped scout from the fallen barn. After a few moments, he grabs a beam and, joined by the scout he already freed, shifts the debris enough for other elf to escape.
Redclaw flies down into woods, keen eyes scanning the ground for the fleeing mage. He spots him at the front of the fleeing column and dives on him. Powerful claws sink into the spellcaster's shoulder, tearing robes and the flesh beneath. Redclaw’s grip slips slightly but his other clawed foot digs in, securing the wizard before he can drop him.
The remaining scouts fire a few departing shots at the fleeing enemies.
Grotto shows no mercy to the baaz that is foolish enough to fight him. "You had your chance to retreat! Instead, you stayed to fight! Brave, but you choose poorly!" Grotto says to the lizard as he gives him another hack. The Baaz crumples under the assault, his lifeblood pouring out onto the ground before he turns to stone.
Ra’ziir is still standing near the collapsed barn when Redclaw delivers the enemy. The Bladesinger spins a quick spell, allowing him to dominate the mind of the captured wizard. “Who is your commander and what are your orders?”
Ra’ziir's spell shackles the captive wizard's will. His eyes glaze over and he responds, almost mechanically. "I serve Flight Master Chomax, leader of the Third Dragonflight of the 16th Dragonarmy. We were supposed to harass outlying settlements and drive them to Tarithnesti."
After giving medical care to the injured scouts, Grotto goes to help interrogate the captive. "After he is of no use to us, let me take out the trash!" Grotto says with a grin.
Raven simply says, "No. After he has been questioned, we will remand him into Commander Parnitha's custody. He will be treated honorably, not tortured. We will not stoop to using the tactics of our enemies, lest we become them."
"Disappointing! I promise I'll make it quick!" Mutters Grotto. "Question away then. I'm going to search the bodies for clues and loot."
Raven watches Grotto walk away. He turns to one of the scouts, "Vaelin, the armored spellcaster used some sort of healing wand on one of the giants. Go see if it remains intact and take it to Ra’ziir."
Raven sends two other scouts to assist Grotto. They wait for the Baaz statues to crumble into dust and sift through the remains. By the time they are done, they have collected nearly 2,000 steel coins. They also find a red gemstone set into a necklace with a golden chain in addition to recovering the battered, and slightly blackened, wand.
Grotto come back to his friends. "Not much lot to speak of. A wand better suited for you." He hands the wand to Raz. "And some pretty trinket for a fair elf." Grotto jokes to Raven. "No clues though. Sounds like Tarithnesti maybe their next target though!"
Raven looks at Grotto, "The black-armored man touched the giant with that wand. It healed some of its wounds." He then turns and assigns a pair of scouts to clear the decoy sled. "We will need to carry the bodies of our fallen brothers back to Tarithnesti."
Finally, the elf asks Ra'ziir if he has any spells that would be able to dig graves for the fallen giants.
Ra’ziir responds to Raven, “I can summon an Elemental." Then, thinking better of it, points to the prisoner “But he can be put to work, too."
A shovel is soon found and pressed into the hands of the captured mage. “Start digging. And don’t stop until I tell you to.”
Sergeant Falindrithan and half of the remaining scouts begin arranging the giants into a single row. The others begin collecting their fallen comrades and carrying them to the sled that will carry them back to the Protector's Tower.
AT THE CRYSTAL QUARRY
Shadow will take a quick breakfast with the Scout Squad and pass along orders for the day to the leaders, more of the same. Train, Rotate, Rest, Repeat. He asks Cor to come with him while he teleports the most vulnerable of children back to safety.
They arrive at the crystal mine caves and Shadow takes on a less dangerous appearance and tries to “lighten up” to deal with the kids. He says to Spewer “My name is Shadow and I’m a Wizard. Ya’ll wanna go with me and stand on some glowing rocks and listen to me chant and watch the world around you swirling and then blink before arriving somewhere else maybe having made a poopy or puking?”
Spewer's dry rasping voice croaks, "You had me at 'poopy'". The lizard blinks slowly and then licks one of his eyes.
Children laugh.
Spewer squints, half-looking at his master and half at the gathered children, "Is the puking optional?"
Cor shakes his head, "Yeah, but not recommended."
Cedron feeling content leans into the moment and plays with the children, taking in their laughter and amusement, pausing briefly to consider what it would be like to have children of his own. The minstrel-priest then snaps back to duty. Remembering their current situation.
Ra’ziir's spell shackles the captive wizard's will. His eyes glaze over and he responds, almost mechanically. "I serve Flight Master Chomax, leader of the Third Dragonflight of the 16th Dragonarmy. We were supposed to harass outlying settlements and drive them to Tarithnesti."
After giving medical care to the injured scouts, Grotto goes to help interrogate the captive. "After he is of no use to us, let me take out the trash!" Grotto says with a grin.
Raven simply says, "No. After he has been questioned, we will remand him into Commander Parnitha's custody. He will be treated honorably, not tortured. We will not stoop to using the tactics of our enemies, lest we become them."
"Disappointing! I promise I'll make it quick!" Mutters Grotto. "Question away then. I'm going to search the bodies for clues and loot."
Raven watches Grotto walk away. He turns to one of the scouts, "Vaelin, the armored spellcaster used some sort of healing wand on one of the giants. Go see if it remains intact and take it to Ra’ziir."
Raven sends two other scouts to assist Grotto. They wait for the Baaz statues to crumble into dust and sift through the remains. By the time they are done, they have collected nearly 2,000 steel coins. They also find a red gemstone set into a necklace with a golden chain in addition to recovering the battered, and slightly blackened, wand.
Grotto come back to his friends. "Not much lot to speak of. A wand better suited for you." He hands the wand to Raz. "And some pretty trinket for a fair elf." Grotto jokes to Raven. "No clues though. Sounds like Tarithnesti maybe their next target though!"
Raven looks at Grotto, "The black-armored man touched the giant with that wand. It healed some of its wounds." He then turns and assigns a pair of scouts to clear the decoy sled. "We will need to carry the bodies of our fallen brothers back to Tarithnesti."
Finally, the elf asks Ra'ziir if he has any spells that would be able to dig graves for the fallen giants.
Ra’ziir responds to Raven, “I can summon an Elemental." Then, thinking better of it, points to the prisoner “But he can be put to work, too."
A shovel is soon found and pressed into the hands of the captured mage. “Start digging. And don’t stop until I tell you to.”
Sergeant Falindrithan and half of the remaining scouts begin arranging the giants into a single row. The others begin collecting their fallen comrades and carrying them to the sled that will carry them back to the Protector's Tower.
AT THE CRYSTAL QUARRY
Shadow will take a quick breakfast with the Scout Squad and pass along orders for the day to the leaders, more of the same. Train, Rotate, Rest, Repeat. He asks Cor to come with him while he teleports the most vulnerable of children back to safety.
They arrive at the crystal mine caves and Shadow takes on a less dangerous appearance and tries to “lighten up” to deal with the kids. He says to Spewer “My name is Shadow and I’m a Wizard. Ya’ll wanna go with me and stand on some glowing rocks and listen to me chant and watch the world around you swirling and then blink before arriving somewhere else maybe having made a poopy or puking?”
Spewer's dry rasping voice croaks, "You had me at 'poopy'". The lizard blinks slowly and then licks one of his eyes.
Children laugh.
Spewer squints, half-looking at his master and half at the gathered children, "Is the puking optional?"
Cor shakes his head, "Yeah, but not recommended."
Cedron feeling content leans into the moment and plays with the children, taking in their laughter and amusement, pausing briefly to consider what it would be like to have children of his own. The minstrel-priest then snaps back to duty. Remembering their current situation.
Shadow claps his hands together, “SUPPLIES! Who wants to come with me to get supplies?”
Shadow makes his way around the room explaining that he needs some help and selecting a collection of vulnerable kids and more able ones to assist. Once he has a group he can teleport they will head to the circle.
A few kids, the older and braver ones, perk up instantly. "Do we get weapons?" One asks, "for the mission?"
Another asks if they will be coming back.
Shadow smiles and leads them to the circle he etched into the floor with his magic. "Join hands."
The children do as directed and with a single word, they vanish.
MEANWHILE, IN SILVANOST
The world collapses in on itself. Sound shrinks to a low hum. Two of the kids scream. And in less than a moment, Shadow, Spewer, Cor, and a bunch of kids pop into existence in the shelter beneath the civic building.
One kid pukes.
Spewer chuckles, "Worth it."
Lanterns hang from the ceiling support beams. Alara, who was talking with a pair of Councilor Cuinar's volunteers, turns and calls out, "Give them room!"
Her eyes land on the dark elf. Weight visibly lifts from her shoulders. Cots line the walls. Blankets lie folded neatly at the end of each simple bed. Cor, his hand wrapped around the haft of his spear relaxes as elves move forward to receive the children. One little girl clings to Shadow’s leg longer than he would have expected but is lead away and given a mug of water and told that everything is going to be alright and that she is safe.
Alara reaches Shadow in an instant. "How many remain?" Her mind is already racing, checking her mental list of supplies that are available.
Shadow quickly sees to the children, encouraging the ones that took the journey hard, “There, there, it is over now. The ride on the Weave was tough on me the first time, threw up mushroom patty bits all over the place. You did good.”
He then turns to address Alara, “Too many, I am afraid, we will not get them all back here before the dragon army strikes. We must quickly gather a few SUPPLIES," he says loudly, "and return.”
Several kids holler "SUPPLIES" in response. More kids laugh.
Cor nods in their direction, "Good. Loud voices can scare off worse things than dragons sometimes."
The veteran fighter begins moving, grabbing essential supplies - arrow shafts for the fletchers to finish, blankets, a sack of dried meat, a couple skins of water.
One of the kids, a small dark-haired boy, grabs Shadow’s hand, "You told the lady that there are too many of us to get to safety. What's going to happen to the everyone else?"
Shadow makes his way around the room explaining that he needs some help and selecting a collection of vulnerable kids and more able ones to assist. Once he has a group he can teleport they will head to the circle.
A few kids, the older and braver ones, perk up instantly. "Do we get weapons?" One asks, "for the mission?"
Another asks if they will be coming back.
Shadow smiles and leads them to the circle he etched into the floor with his magic. "Join hands."
The children do as directed and with a single word, they vanish.
MEANWHILE, IN SILVANOST
The world collapses in on itself. Sound shrinks to a low hum. Two of the kids scream. And in less than a moment, Shadow, Spewer, Cor, and a bunch of kids pop into existence in the shelter beneath the civic building.
One kid pukes.
Spewer chuckles, "Worth it."
Lanterns hang from the ceiling support beams. Alara, who was talking with a pair of Councilor Cuinar's volunteers, turns and calls out, "Give them room!"
Her eyes land on the dark elf. Weight visibly lifts from her shoulders. Cots line the walls. Blankets lie folded neatly at the end of each simple bed. Cor, his hand wrapped around the haft of his spear relaxes as elves move forward to receive the children. One little girl clings to Shadow’s leg longer than he would have expected but is lead away and given a mug of water and told that everything is going to be alright and that she is safe.
Alara reaches Shadow in an instant. "How many remain?" Her mind is already racing, checking her mental list of supplies that are available.
Shadow quickly sees to the children, encouraging the ones that took the journey hard, “There, there, it is over now. The ride on the Weave was tough on me the first time, threw up mushroom patty bits all over the place. You did good.”
He then turns to address Alara, “Too many, I am afraid, we will not get them all back here before the dragon army strikes. We must quickly gather a few SUPPLIES," he says loudly, "and return.”
Several kids holler "SUPPLIES" in response. More kids laugh.
Cor nods in their direction, "Good. Loud voices can scare off worse things than dragons sometimes."
The veteran fighter begins moving, grabbing essential supplies - arrow shafts for the fletchers to finish, blankets, a sack of dried meat, a couple skins of water.
One of the kids, a small dark-haired boy, grabs Shadow’s hand, "You told the lady that there are too many of us to get to safety. What's going to happen to the everyone else?"
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