The Hornets' Nest

08 Newkolt 349 AC

Raven walked out of trees and strode onto the avenue. The prisoners noticed him almost immediately. One archer, his arm bound in a crude, bloodied bandage cried out, "RUN!"

Another shouted, "GET OUT OF HERE! THEY'LL KILL YOU!"

The commotion drew the attention of the nearest guards. Two ogres exchanged amused glances. They pushed away from the line of prisoners and lumbered down the avenue toward the lone elf. Each stood nearly twice Raven's height. Iron-bound clubs rested lazily across their shoulders.

Raven stopped walking.

The ogres reached him. One reached out with a thick, meaty hand to grab him by the shoulder. A grin spread across its face.

A single step to the right. That's all Raven took as Nightwatcher suddenly appeared in his hand.

The adamantine blade traced a silver arc through the cold morning air. Both ogres collapsed in opposite directions, their massive weapons crashing against the pale stones of the avenue.

The prisoners went silent with disbelief. The nearest ogres blinked in confusion.

Raven took two steps forward, walking past the dead ogres as their spilled blood steamed in the cold morning air and came to a stop once again.

One ogre looked from the bodies to Raven.
Then back again. A harsh command spurred the guard into motion. Two more fell in beside him as he closed on the lone swordsman.

Raven waited. A step to the left carried him to the center of the trio. Nightwatcher flashed again. The three ogres staggered and fell. He stepped past them without breaking stride.

Even the ogres began to realize that they were not dealing with a normal swordsman. More moved forward, anger rising as they looked upon their dead comrades.

Somewhere in the back of the gathering formation, one of the ogres roared a challenge. Half of the two dozen giants started forward, their attitude changing from amusement to rage.

Weapons came down from broad shoulders. The ground shook beneath the feet of the charging giants. Raven tightened his grip on Nightwatcher and exploded into motion.

To everyone watching, he moved impossibly fast. Nightwatcher was a blur of gleaming black steel stained crimson.

The last ogre was already falling before the first had even hit the ground. The remaining ogres skidded to a stop, no longer sure of what they were facing.

From somewhere in the back of the ogres' formation, the first horn sounded, a long blast that carried across the city. Another answered from somewhere deeper in Sithelnost. A third followed as the alarm spread.

The remaining ogres hesitated. The Green Scourge - shock troops who had been instrumental in breaking Sithelnost's defenses - were suddenly unsure how to deal with this lone warrior. They spread out, watching each other as they slowly began to encircle the swordsman. Their clubs and axes were no longer slung casually over their shoulders. Every weapon was held ready. Raven stood impassively at the center of the ring, Nightwatcher hanging relaxed in his hand.

He did not shift his footing or glance over his shoulder.

He simply waited for one of them to make his last mistake.

Raven and the ogres stared at each other. Neither side moved. Raven didn't try to advance. The ogres didn't dare to close the distance. The standoff stretched on for nearly a minute.

Then Baaz draconians came pouring into the Gallery of Heroes. They spread out behind the ogres, tightening the defensive ring around the lone swordsman. The Green Scourge shouted hurried warnings as they pointed toward Raven.

"Don't rush him!"

"He'll cut you apart!"

"Keep your distance!"

The Baaz looked from the bodies strewn across the Gallery to the solitary elf standing among them. Confusion gave way to unease.

Four more minutes passed. Silence hung heavily over the Gallery of Heroes. More Baaz poured into the avenue, swelling the defensive ring. The newcomers looked around, wondering why dozens of soldiers were standing in a circle around a single elf.

Then the crowd began to part. Massive figures pushed through the ranks of draconians. The newcomers wore blackened plate that covered them from neck to shin, every breastplate scarred by old blows and every helm hiding the face beneath. Across broad shoulders rested immense two-handed swords, each blade nearly as tall as a man.

The Ravagers of Kern had arrived.

One of the armored ogres glanced toward the Green Scourge. "Is this him?"

Several nodded without taking their eyes off of Raven.

The ogre snorted and started forward. "Cowards."

He stepped out of the ranks and advanced, raising his massive, notched greatsword high over his head for a killing blow. Raven moved first. Nightwatcher flashed once. Then again.

The first cut carved across the exposed seam of armor at the ogre's waist. The second slipped into the gap between his helm and breastplate. The giant took one last step and fell. His sword crashed harmlessly to the stone.

Silence settled over the Gallery once more. No one stepped forward. Then, from somewhere beyond the rooftops, came the deep, rhythmic beat of enormous wings.

A shadow swept across the statues of the Gallery of Heroes.

A green dragon rose above the rooftops, banking once as it searched for the source of the disturbance.

Raven smiled, "Finally."

IN TARITHNESTI

Parintha turned to Eilra, "Captain Summerwalker, I leave you in command of Tarithnesti." She grasped her silvered warhammer and placed her free hand on Romulus's shoulder. "I have men to avenge."

Ra'ziir peered intently at the image in Shadow’s crystal ball, memorizing details, comparing them with his memory of Commander Parnitha's briefing. He picked out two possible locations for his arrival before turning to the others.

“How do we want to approach?” He asked the assembled spellcasters. "We have only one chance to capitalize on Raven's distraction.

Cedron replied. "Our big noise is already happening. Raven has every Dragonarmy soldier looking at him. We strike where they're weakest. Triangle formation. Hit from the west while every eye is on him at the east end of the avenue."

Heads nodded in agreement. Target locations were chosen.

Grotto began layering divine blessings over himself - Bull’s Strength, Enlarge, Stoneskin, and Resistance before blessing the group as a whole with a sprinkling of "holy water" that smelled suspiciously like mead.

The runes beneath his skin burned with anticipation. He muttered to his gods, or possibly just himself, "I know, I know. We won't be missing out on the fighting this time."

He hefted his axe, "Leave none standing. Avenge the just."

His voice rose to a thunderous bellow, "TO WAR!!!!"

Prior to teleporting in, Ra’ziir casts Greater Heroism on Redclaw… “We’ll take flight once we arrive.” He said to Redclaw.

As the battle-priest's call faded, Romulus completed his own preparations, also casting Stoneskin and sharing its effects with his snow leopard, Macula.

Romulus extended a hand toward Cedron. The minstrel-priest was joined by Shadow and Grotto. Romulus signaled Ra'ziir and Kysek that he was ready to depart. In the last few seconds before leaving Tarithnesti, Cedron cast Divine Power upon himself followed by Displacement.

Kysek knelt beside Dusk and ran his fingers through her dark feathers. A brief glimmer was the only sign of the stoneskin spell he cast upon her before a second enchantment caused her to fade from view.

He studied the image within Shadow's crystal ball, searching for the largest concentration of enemy troops. The green dragon would have to be left to Raven, Ra'ziir, and the others.

Against a creature that powerful, Kysek knew his blade would accomplish little, and his magic even less. The Dragonarmy below was another matter, a well-placed spell could break a formation, create an opening, and keep enemy soldiers away from the prisoners.

After committing to his target, he reached into his pocket, readying a handful of colored sand and nodded to the others before turning the gemstone on his Ring of Gyges and vanishing from view.

Romulus looked at Shadow, "Count us down. We go on your signal."

Shadow never took his eyes off the crystal ball.

The dragon banked once over the Gallery of Heroes. Raven stood alone beneath it, surrounded by Dragonarmy soldiers.

"Stand by..." Shadow said quietly.

"Three..."

"Two..."

"One..."

"NOW!"

For a single heartbeat there was only brilliant radiance and the familiar sensation of space folding around them.

Then the light vanished.

Seventy-five miles away, the strike force materialized in the Gallery of Heroes. The Green Dragonarmy had formed a broad, uneven ring around Raven. Nine surviving Green Scourge ogres stood closest, backed by ranks of Baaz draconians and the newly arrived armored Ravagers of Kern. More Dragonarmy soldiers crowded the length of the avenue, their weapons already drawn. Above them all, an adult green dragon circled lazily over the Gallery, emerald wings casting sweeping shadows across the white stone and the statues of Silvanesti's fallen heroes.

Heads turned toward the adventurers as they appeared at the west end of the Avenue.

For the briefest instant, the Gallery fell silent.

Then discipline prevailed. Baaz sergeants barked orders. Shields locked together. Spears lowered. The Green Scourge shifted outward to widen the inner cordon while the Ravagers advanced in measured ranks, presenting a wall of blackened steel between the newcomers and the dragon.

There was no panic, no confusion. Just deadly intent as the ogres and draconians turned to face the threat head on.