Fantasy As The Sun Rises | Open

[RayneIlStorm]

Cameron adjusted the burlap bag over his shoulder and sprinted through the forest opposite of where the invasion was coming from. Anyone with a brain would want to get out of the area as soon as possible - otherwise they were going to wind up a carcass eaten by the vultures. He continued to run, his lungs burning from the run. God, he needed to raise his stamina. Then he came to a peculiar sight; a woman trapped high in a flight trap in a tree. He paused for a moment, caught himself a bit of breath, and approached the scene.

"Do you need help out of there?" Called a voice from the ground below. When the shapeshifter looks down, she would see a man with red hair and a burlap sack thrown across his shoulder. He wore a cloak the color of dirt over his body, covering up everything besides his head which was tilted upwards at Juniper. He stared at her, curious, before glancing down at the dagger lying on the ground.

"Now, either you were trying to get something out of there that escaped with you trapped instead, or there's something awfully particular about you. If it's the former, then I'll welcome the quick laugh, but if it's the latter..." The man, Cameron, stepped over to the blade on the ground and picked it up, twirling it in his hand. He glanced up again with a sly smirk.

"Oh, and I recommend you tell me which one it is quick. I don't think the King's men and their horses will be putting you back together again when they find you." Cameron shot a look at the chaos in the distance: the screams of terror and agony, the scent of burning, the smoke rising from the town. Terrible, really.

 

[AncientBird]

Juniper Penna

-------------------------

As Juniper was getting more nervous at the noise that kept getting louder and more unpleasant, she heard rattling noise of someone walking through the forest. Then a cloak wearing man appeared from a corner of the tree. He seemed hurry, rushing from the direction the chaotic noise could be heard. He was carrying a large sack over his shoulder when he suddenly looked her way at approached. "Do you need help out of there?" Said the man.

Jun had no idea if this person would have good or bad intention, but it's a chance to get down from the dang trap, so she took it... "Oh yes, please! Could you help getting me down? I have been stuck here for ages!" She cried, trying to sound as innocent as she could.

The man stopped beneath her, inspecting the situation around and then looking at her fallen knife on the ground. He looked back at Jun and spoke "Now, either you were trying to get something out of there that escaped with you trapped instead, or there's something awfully particular about you. If it's the former, then I'll welcome the quick laugh, but if it's the latter..." He paused and picked up her knife just to played with it a bit. His sly smirked made Jun wanted to screech at his face for stalling her.

"Oh, and I recommend you tell me which one it is quick. I don't think the King's men and their horses will be putting you back together again when they find you." Added the man as he nodded to the direction of the noise. Jun's eyes widened, so it was really the king's military razing a place somewhere nearby. If they found her hanging around, surely some of them might even recognize her and it would certainly be the end of this shapeshifter girl.

"Oh come on! Do I look that suspicious to you? I am just a very very ordinary traveler... See, I saw an eagle getting stuck in the net alright, a very very beautiful, marvelous looking eagle! So I climbed here to save it but then I got stuck in here instead. Err... See! There are some feathers remaining!" Jun said as she showed the man a few stuck feathers that actually belonged to her eagle form that fell off when she was thrashing about.

Jun of course lied about her power. There was no telling if this man is going to be nice to her... Who know he might even turn her up to the king to gain some bounty... In the past she had several close call of being too trusting before, and even though old habit dies hard, she did remember not to let her guard down this time. "So... We are cool, right? Could you help taking me down now? I reaaaally not want to stick around when there is an army going riot near by." Said the girl with a forced smile.

Featuring: RayneIlStorm

 

[RayneIlStorm]

Cameron eyed her for a moment long before shrugging his shoulders. He walked up to the base of the tree and scaled it as if it was nothing, settling down on a outstretched branch. With dagger in hand, he cut the trap into pieces in a way to not have Juniper fall down and break something. Otherwise she'd probably be cursing him out and he really didn't want to hear that at the moment. Anyways, once she was cut free, the man nonchalantly tossed her knife back at her, it landing upright in the dirt a few inches away from her.

"Alright, you're free." He said, swinging down to the ground. Patting himself down, Cameron eventually turned to Juniper. "Now, I'm gonna hide out in the forest until this passes over, but I don't know what you're going to do. Whatever it is, I wish you luck 'cause that's the only thing that can save anyone now here." And he ran further into the forest out of view.

Once he was sufficiently far enough away, Cameron peered back in the direction of the disaster and frowned a little. "What was the point of sending me here if you were just going to destroy everything without proof first?" He muttered to himself, shaking his head.

 

[Baradour]

The Raven circled above him, wings cloaking him in shadow as it ever seemed to these days, watching, waiting , its beady accusing eyes always upon him . <fyi there is no physical raven>

*
The hills and mountains around them held little appeal to Baradour as they marched, nor the dark brooding forest upon their slopes. His thoughts were as always these days far away, years of compaining had taught him long ago to switch off while on a march. The rhythmic *thump* *thump* of heavy boots lulling him into a half sleep where his mind could drift away.

The sudden, shouted orders to deploy for battle shook him from his reverie, dropping his pack he swiftly strapped his shield on his left arm and helmet on his head with the habit of long practise.. Looking to his left and right he noted with a grim satisfaction that his squad had done the same and were preparing for battle.

The battalion fragmented into a thousand pieces as it swing from its marching column into a battle line. Each company slotting cleanly into place like the experienced force it was. 3rd company, of which 5th squad, Baradours small command, were part of took their customary position on the far left flank of the formation.

During the brief pause as the last of the units got in position Baradour took a look around in confusion. The valley they’d marched up had opened and ahead he could what what had to be their target. Nestled in the hills on the very edge of a heavy forest was a settlement, large for a village, too small for a town the only thing which stood out about it was its ordinariness. Farms on the outskirts, leading to a central core of stone buildings. Smoke rose from chimneys, animals in fields, people bustling around going about their everyday business, they seemed oblivious to the doom which approached.

‘It looks like home’ was his first thought. Was this really the heart of the rebellion, the festering home of the Magic users and Casters who the king assured them were seeking to take over the kingdom ?

The Wolf rode out ahead of the army as he always did, a massive figure, larger than life. Baradour was always amazed they’d found a horse large enough to carry him. As he approached the village he was obviously noticed, Baradour couldn’t make out what was going and cursed his eyesight when a cry went up

“'THE WOLF! IT'S THE WOLF! EVERYONE RUN”

And then they charged…

 

[AncientBird]

Juniper Penna

-------------------------

The rope that held the net to the branches were cut loose and Juniper fell to the ground. It wasn't a long fall and the young woman didn't get really hurt but she yelped in pain anyway. Made her way out of the tangling net, she looked at the man who saved her. "Err... Thank you." She said and the man tossed her knife back at her.

"Alright, you're free. Now, I'm gonna hide out in the forest until this passes over, but I don't know what you're going to do. Whatever it is, I wish you luck 'cause that's the only thing that can save anyone now here." Said the man as he turned around and quickly got out of the place.

Jun looked after the man. He hurried to get away as fast as he could, but his face didn't show much of flight... Almost if he wasn't really afraid or felt threatened by the army not so far away at all, just getting away because it made the most sense. Jun should probably did the same thing, especially for someone special like her. However, Jun was curious... What is the king's army doing deep in the middle of nowhere like this? it's not like there is going to be something worth wasting time and resource to be sending an army here...

Jun frowned and looked at the direction of the sound. Something popped out in her mind. "Maybe, I can just take a peek? See what they are up to?... Nah! What am I thinking?! They will kill you if anything goes wrong, Jun!..." The girl began to bicker with herself. She paused for a bit and then she transformed into eagle form. "Alright, I think just a little peek wouldn't hurt... It isn't like they are gonna notice me anyway." Jun said to herself as she took flight, heading off to the direction of the chaotic noise.

Featuring: RayneIlStorm

 

[Baradour]

The Raven circled his head, ever closer, he could feel its presence.

An officer rode past calling orders, “3rd Company, flank round the Town, extending by squads, don’t let them escape, the order is Havoc, leave nothing behind, HAVOC”
The cry was taken up by the troops around him, “HAVOC !”, ‘do as you will’ was the subtext, the decision had been made to raze the settlement….the soldiers could do whatever the wished.
The order was rarely given, usually to punish a walled town which had opposed them and forced the storming of the walls, the order being the chance for the soldiers to get revenge for the many casualties which resulted in such an assault.
But that didn’t apply here, this looked like a normal town, the order meant everyone there would be killed or slaves it was nonsense, they couldn’t all be Sorcerers. Baradour turned towards the office but he’d gone.

The extending by squads order meant his 5th Squad would be the furthest point of the army around the back of the village and his men were already running there, passions enflamed by the Havoc Order.

The shadow of the Raven cloaked him, its weight heavy upon his shoulders. His arms and legs felt weak, each step was like trying to walk though deep mud.

Baradour followed his squad, he felt drained, lethargic, was this what they had come to ? it made no sense. He’d always been a good soldier, he’d taken pride in his discipline, in his skills and good soldier obeyed his orders. He’d had faith in his officers, in those leading them, had they changed ? or had he ? had what had happened to his family clouded his eyes….or opened them ?

Round the edge of the forest, to the sound of battle, slaughter and destruction he came to a street and stopped for a second to take in the scene before him.

It was a 2 story building with a small yard in front. Chopped wood was stacked against one wall, a water trough and a small cart which had been tipped over on its side. The bodies of a young couple lay like a pile of rags off to one side, a mans body was lying face down with a Javalin still sticking out of his back. Baradour could hear the sounds of the house being ransacked and by the cart a young woman, dark hair spilling out from under her bonnet struggled with a man on top of her. Baradour recognised Garret as her attacker while another of his men, Kvensk was smashing open the boxes and crates which had been spilled from the cart. Amador was just visible in the doorway swigging from a bottle of some kind and looked up at Baradours arrival.

There was a sudden flappling of wings and Baradours vision was obscured by a sudden glimpse of feathers of the deepest black, darker than the blackest night.

Baradour blinked, startled for a second.

“CAW !!” went the Raven off to one side , turning to the sound he caught a glimpse of the 2 bodies, was that his boy Timon ? dead, protecting his younger sister Amilie ?

His head snapped back toward the struggling woman, she was middle aged, still attractive with long blonde hair, “Meg ???” he gasped, sinking to his knees, “ how can this be ?”.

Her head recoiled as she was struck by the man on top of her and then……
*
Baradour had no recollection of moving, one second he was on his knees and then in a blink of an eye (the flap of a wing ?) he stood next to Garret, having drawn his blade at some point.
The sword, motionless, disappeared into Garret. Just above the back plate and under his helm, punching through the weak leather into his spine. A foot of the blade could just be seen emerging from the front of his neck, covered in blood. Instantly dead, the body remained upright for a second, supported by the blade and the woman below it.
With a tug on his sword he dragged the body to one side, the woman, now a young brunette covered in blood gathered her skirts and began to scream.


Flicking some of the blood from his blade Baradour stood, confused. The dead couple off to one side were clearly in their early twenties. Then Amador, casting the bottle to one side was roaring, drawing his sword and rushing at Baradour and suddenly there was no time to think, just to act.

Amador charged towards him, sword raised over one shoulder to come slashing down but Baradour calmly stepped inside the blow and rammed his blade into Amadors stomach. The amour was unable to withstand the force of the blow and broke, the padded gambeson beneath slowing the blade but it was a killing blow and they both knew it. Gasping, Amador clutched at Baradour for a second slowing him and before he could free himself Baradour felt a massive impact against his side driving him off his feet.

Looking up Baradour could see Kvensk, axe in both hands start to swing down at him again. Releasing his sword he rolled to one side, narrowly escaping the axe smashing into the ground where he’d been but a second ago. Rolling again to get some space Baradour rose to his feet facing Kvensk who smiled as he stepped over the dropped sword on the ground.
“You always felt you were better than us didn’t you Bar” he spat as the two of them circled one another before swinging his axe towards Baradour who stood his ground and raised his shield.
The shield caught the axe blade at an angle, pushing it wide. Closing the gap between them Baradour grabbed his opponent by the shoulder and dipping slightly drove the steel brim of his helmet forwards in a brutal headbutt.

Kvensk reeled back from the blow but Baradour didn’t release him instead pulling him forwards and smashing his knee into Kvensks middle, driving the wind from his body. Kvensk was stunned , gasping on the ground, Baradour, without hesitation, drew his knife, bent over Kvensk and slit his thoat.

Baradour stood for a second panting, as the adrenaline left his body he began to feel his wounds, reaching to his left hip where the axe had landed he could feel that his armour had done its job, the chainmail had split slightly but enough of the rings had held up that he didn’t seem to be bleeding. He was limping slightly though “there’ll be one hell of a bruise there tomorrow. “. Picking up his sword he glanced around, he wasn’t sure if anyone else had heard the fight but with all the screaming and destruction it didn’t seem likely. The woman had fled and other than himself all that was moving was Amador, clutching his stomach and slowly beeding out.

“Didn’t I keep telling you, the point will always beat the edge” he commented as he walked passed the dying man.
*
For the first time in a while he couldn’t see the Raven, he could still sense it in the distance but it wasn’t close and he felt lighter somehow.
A decision had been made, he wasn’t sure if it had been his decision but it was enough.
*

Ahead of him, he could see some figures he assumed were villagers, they looked to be milling about, with no sense of purpose “poxy civilians” he muttered under this breath before calling on his parade ground voice, he bellowed “FOR GODS SAKE RUN YOU FOOLS”, he pointed his blood stained sword towards the nearby trees.
“INTO THE FOREST – GO !!!”

 

[TayMaiTer]

Elentiya (Elie) Locke
Apothecarist - Human| Location: Apothecary | Interactions: imXeno RayneIlStorm ​

​

'There will be people coming for this little town that you call home. They will burn and raze everything you've come to love and leave nothing behind. The people that are not slaughtered will become slaves and nothing will remain the same in your life ever again. I suggest you pack up as many herbs as you can carry and run. It's be a shame if the innocent lose their only healer.'

That sent chills down Elentiya's spine. And then, when the man left with a smile, an uneasy feeling settled in her stomach. But, she had a customer. She turned back to the blonde man as her began to speak. 'So, I figure I should introduce myself. The name's Ulrich. Ulrich Deveraux. I'm an alchemist. Basically, I was just doing some experimenting and such, in which I happened to make a decent corrosive acid. As odd as it may seem, that root works pretty well with certain oils and elements to create this acid. The acid works well too...burned a hole about a yard wide in the soil. I wonder if it works just as well against armor. But, I ran out of this particular root, so thankfully you had it. Anyways, I'll see you around miss. Enjoy your day!'

She lets out a small smile. Figures it was an alchemist. The root has very good corrosive properties if used well, yes. But, you also need to know the way to make it. As the man left, she gave a small wave, then took the piles of coins he had laid out as payment. The amount was generous, and she felt nothing but grateful. She poured the coins into a pouch and then turns to work.

As the man ran through the square, screaming and yelling, she glances up. She can't hear the exact words that were being said, but the uneasy felling in her core grew. Something was about to happen...

 

[Funky Cat]

The cloaked man trudged down the little-used forest path as it led deeper and deeper into the mountain. Tucked under his arm was a package meant for the village's apocethery, from a man who had been very insistent that it end up delivered today. Jack had his doubts but the man's coin had done a lot to put his worries to rest. In spite of that, in spite of it being just a routine job he'd done many times before, despite the fact he was running a trail not many people knew about, Jack felt that something was amiss. Maybe that familiar forest was just a little too quiet right now, or maybe it was because there had been signs of a good deal of people around the entrance of the forest. His intuition was telling him something was up, and his intuition was never wrong. Except that one time, with that package for the drug lord, or that time on the boat , or that time just recently when he'd barely escaped the ambush.

Jack frowned to himself as he continued on. Maybe it was nothing then, maybe it was just his mind playing tricks on him. He'd jumped at shadows more than a few times, why couldn't this be one of those times? All of a sudden, he stopped dead in his tracks. Broken branches, the smell of steel, and those distinct boot prints in the dirt.
"Shit."
Jack began running in earnest, thoughts racing in his head. How had they come here? How long ago did they pass here? Why did it have to be now? With no answers to be found, Jack kept running. He was slowly picking up speed and he'd catch up with the force soon enough, but he forced those thoughts out of his mind. He had a package to deliver, after all, and he had never been late.

 

[Stern LuLuLu]

"Know that all we do is for the sake of our country and its future. We in this family only have three rules that would stop us from that. "
Remembering his father's words.


Upon seeing the village from afar Vito thought to himself that this may look normal but who knows what lies underneath. At least that's he told himself. Once seeing the mighty WOLF charge in he knew the order for the remaining forces would follow. Once the commands were given he watched his fellow knights descend on the city.While he and his squad were sent to the eastern part of the village to deal with any who would try to escape the siege. Once he had reached the point with the rest of his squad they split up. With half going to the to search the village limits, while he and a couple of archers stood in a clearing before the forest meets the village. Anyone that managed to escape soon found themselves filled with arrows and bolts. Vito just stood back knowing his fellow knights could handle whatever come fleeing from the village. He decided to go make rounds in his area on horseback in the meantime. But knowing quelling the rebellion will take a while. As he patrols to see what he will find and waits for the next order to be given.
" Always remember."

 

[WitworthGold]

Fianna "Fi" Underhill
Quarter Elf - Herbalist | Location - Forest & Clearing| Interaction: Spiderverse Stern LuLuLu

​

Before he could react Fi tore off into the woods, running as nimbly as she could manage eastward. She nimbly wove between grasping branches and lept felled logs putting as much distance between the empty man and herself as her legs would allow, doing her very best to leave as little sign of her passage as she could. Some time passed before she allowed herself to stop and check for pursuit. Initially, all she could hear was the roar of her own pulse. But, as the noise subsided it was replaced but the roll of thunder and the sounds of not too distant slaughter.

The sounds of people screaming and dying caused her blood to run cold and she instinctively drew her cloak around herself as if to shield her from the violence. Long moments passed before a new and all too familiar scent reached her. The smell of the burning village was an unwelcome reminder of how these raids often went. The butchers would swoop in while there was relative peace so as to overwhelm the people then came the indiscriminate slaughter of innocents and once that was well underway they set fire to the place to spook out and finish off any stragglers many of which would be children told to hide my their parents.

Hot tears of anger began to roll down her face as memories of what happened to her own mother and a number of other villages filled her mind. Memories of other villages she'd discovered days after a raid assaulted her mind. The acrid stench of burned homes and bodies and the sight of wounded bodies whose expressions were frozen in abject horror rose up in her mind and overwhelmed her senses and the effect of that on the brewing storm was immediate. What would have taken at least minutes to happen naturally took only moments when fueled by her broken heart. The winds and light of rain doubled in intensity and began to move steadily toward the town just ahead of teary eyed woman.

She hardly noticed that she was even moving having been so swept up in her emotions and only really came to when she was in the treeline behind a group of archers facing the village. She stood for a moment barely aware of the events unfolding before her until she saw them unleash a volley of arrows into some escaping innocents. The sight made fresh tears begin to stream down her cheeks and with that fresh wave the intensity of the storm increased. The cloud darkened and the roll of thunder itself was accompanied by the flash of lightning. With her mind brought back to the present she circled around the clearing and did her best to keep out of sight as she neared the village.

 

[AncientBird]

Juniper Penna

-------------------------

Jun flew up high in the sky. Below her was green canopy of the forest, but further away, black smoke could be seen rising from a spot. She headed over there and as the she-shifter getting closer and closer, a horror scene unvealed.

It was a village and it was being swarmed by the king’s army like ant over sugar. Fire were set a blaze and the scream of fear and pain echoed in the air. Over the area, many vultures could be seen circling, waiting to feast on the aftermath. Kites and buzzards also presented, swooping to catch any small animals escaping from the fire. Jun joined those birds of prey, hoping nobody would notice her while she watched over the scene.

The soldiers were as ruthless as Jun remembered. They slaughtered everyone and everything in their path, be it men, women or even children... They screamed and begged for mercy that would never come as they were being murdered in cold-blooded.

Jun gazed in shocked... It was just like what happened to her family years ago... But that was just one family... This, this was a total annihilation, a madness!

There was nothing she could do to help them... The soldiers had surrounded the village, completely cut off any escape routes and the fire burned down any single buildings that provide any possible hideout as well.

Unable to bear to hear anymore scream or see any more skaughtet, Jun flew toward the forest again.

 

[Funky Cat]

"Bloody hell."
In spite of the urgency, Jack couldn't help but say something when he saw the bodies. In the middle of the forest was a group of corpses, clad in the unmistakeable armor of the King's soldiers. There were other soldiers around so he couldn't get too close, but he knew that armor when he saw it. He was still a little far from the village yet so the fallen soldiers were something of a mystery. But there was nothing he could do about it now...

Jack moved on at a slower pace. He was getting closer to the village now, which meant that the chance of encountering alive soldiers was higher. He soon stopped dead in his tracks, spying a group of archers ahead of him. Jack scowled in disgust; it wasn't hard to guess why they were here. If there were soldiers in the mountain village that meant it was a raid, and if they raided the village, the villagers would try to escape into the forest. The placement of archers was obvious.

Jack squatted behind a tree, quietly observing the archers in front of him. Clouds darkened the sky, mirroring the runner's own mood as he weighed up his options. The soldiers hadn't noticed him so he had a very good chance of running away. That was the best option, it wasn't as if he could take on an unknown number of soldiers on his own. But he wasn't going to let the raid slide, not while he could do something about it. Besides, he had a job to do - and delivering the package would be difficult if the recipient was dead.

Jack looked around the forest before he began slowly creeping forward, using the brush of the forest as cover. He couldn't take care of the threat by himself but not all of the villagers were pushovers. He'd been there many times before and he knew there were warriors capable of fighting back. Considering the earlier body in the forest, they had probably already begun doing so. They probably wouldn't be able to push off the raid, what with the lack of leadership, but with a little distraction they could probably at least escape. Jack moved forward inch by inch, waiting for the opportunity to provide that distraction.

 

[Baradour]

What had been just a dark line on the horizon had rapidly become dark clouds covering the skies as a storm arrived overhead. The winds gathering around Baradour had that heavy feeling of dampness that threatened rain.
Moving deeper into the village he began ordering/guiding any troops he saw to one side or another “They went that way” he indicated to the West, “over there soldier, I saw someone hiding” to the East. There was no point trying to fight everyone, he’d just be another body in the street but by nudging troops to either side he was (he hoped) creating a narrow path behind him clear of troops, for a little while at least.


A flap of wings had Baradour looking overhead but this time them there was no Raven, instead what looked like some kind of Vulture, though he couldn’t see clearly. Carrion birds drawn to the slaughter they were struggling, caught between the winds and the bounty below.

Further into the village he felt he was approaching the centre, there were more troops and despite his chevrons and nature authority (or was it hostility ?) he wasn’t going to be able to get much further. Glancing back the path behind him still looked clear but perhaps it was time he was going.
The storm was suddenly in full flow, the wind gusting down the streets, driving debris before it, broken doors and shutter banging in the wind. The rain fell, large heavy droplets being driven almost sideways in the gale. Baradour was rapidly soaked to the skin, he could feel his clothes clinging to his body.

His armour felt heavier than ever, he was cold, the rain was dripping from the brim of his helmet.
The adrenaline from the fight earlier had gone and he felt drained, his hip was sore and he ached with every one of his 45 years.
He'd be running into the main body of the army if he went any further and though he was sure they were hiding he couldn't see any villagers.
“That’s it, nothing more I can do here, I just hope they can see there is a way out. For now.” he muttered to himself just hoping that his efforts would help someone, anyone to get away.

With that he turned towards the edge of the village and the forest there.

 

[AncientBird]

Juniper Penna

-------------------------

Juniper in her eagle form flew into the forest. A storm began to form and it’s getting harder to fly over the canopy, so she would have to maneuver around the branches and leaves to get through. She had no idea where to go after seeing the slaughter. It clouded her mind and distracted her to focus on any particular direction in her mind.

Suddenly she noticed something also rushing through the forest not so far away. it’s a group of children! The one running into the front, a boy, pushing through thickets for the other was the oldest, probabaly around 14-15 years old. He was followed by a girl, around 5-6 years old who also pulling a long little boy, only a little older than a toddler. They hurried through the forest, heading off somewhere with barely any belonging other than a cloths package hanging by the oldest child’s neck. While Jun was glad that these 3 children were able to escape their doom, she questioned how they managed it since she remembered the entire village was surrounded by archers, readied to take put any thing and anyone try to penetrated their rank.

Suddenly, Jun noticed someone followed the childrwn in their track. A couple of soldier! They both armed with sword and shield but only one bore a sack of javelin on his back, with just one shaft remained.

They had seen the children and gave chase. Their quarries seemed to have noticed them as well and were desperately trying get away. However the children was much slower than the trained soldiers. Jun watched in horror as they began to get closer and closer. “No no no! Not the children!” Jun screamed in her mind as she perched on a brach... But what could she possibly do?

In their last effort, the eldest boy pushed his younger fellows under a fallen log and tried to cover then with ferns and bushes. He shushed the terrified younger kids and then darted to another direction, making as much as noise as possible.

The soldiers followed him. The one with javelin reached to his last one and in the blink of an eye, the throwing spear struck the boy in the back, making him collapsed to the ground.

It was this moment that Jun took off from her branch...

As the soldiers came up to the boy to check, they heard flutter of wing beat from behind. Just as they turned their head, the one in the front met a pair of large feet tipped with sharp talons, each as long as a human’s thumb, right in his face.

Jun screeched as she crunched her talons deep into the soldier’s face. The unfortunate man screamed in pain as his attacker released and flew off, leaving deep wounds on his penetrated cheeks and eye sockets, he was instantanly blind. The other soldier was shocked and couldn’t react in time. His swing of blade only missed Jun by a little of her tail feathers. “The heck is this bird?!!!” He exclaimed as he came to his wounded comrade’s aide.

Jun landed on the forest floor not so far away. Her predatory eagle eyes caught on both of the soldier with fury sheen. Seeing that his comrade was complete disabled, he turned to the eagle, furious. “You will pay for that, you darn bird!” He roared, but then his face paled down when the eagle started to grow larger. Jun transformed, her neck and legs elongated and her beak lengthened. Soon, she stood eyes to eyes with the remaining soldier... As a massive hawkstrider. With that, she uttered a sharp hiss like a furious cobra, but far louder and charged toward her opposers.

The soldier readied his sword and shield, but he was so terrified of the giant meating bird that he didn’t have enough strength to withstand when Jun closed in and sent out a massive kick to his plate.

Fell to the ground, his weapons fell off his grasp. The soldier met eyes with the angry bird as she lowered her head. “Please... Have mercy! We surrender... Don’t kill us!” The soldier pled for mercy... But if was futile as the sharp beak of the hawkstrider clamped over his neck...

The blinded soldier was already in pain enough but he had to bear hearing his comrade screaming in pain. As the screamed ended, following with a choking noise and silence, he heard steady steps toward him...

“Please, I beg you! Don’t kill me, I don’t want to die!” Begged the blinded soldier, weeping like a child. He didn’t expect any reply from a large killer bird but then there was a woman’s noise... “What about the children you murdered? Did they beg for mercy? Did they also cry in fear too? Yes, they did and you killed them anyway, why should you be spared then?”

The soldier didn’t get to reply when the sharp beak caught on his throat and crushed his windpipe...

Jun stood still with the dead soldier hanging from her beak, before she let his body fell to the ground. She then let out a loud gurgling noise. She was in pain and sorrow, not just grieving over the boy she failed to save, but also any innocents she couldn’t help from their terrible doom today.

 

[Stern LuLuLu]

Knight/Adventurer|
Vito Silverheart |

interactions: WitworthGold

As he surveyed the area, Vito slowly started to see more and more birds enter the sky above. No doubt waiting to have their fill of whatever they wanted. But he didn't too much attention to it that's just what they do. From the high of his horse, he saw something more interesting. He noticed was a woman who was coming from the forest and not running to it. This made him wonder what reason would she come back for if she had escaped. He debts if he should let her go but he thinks he has no idea of what kind of person she is or what crimes she might have committed. Deciding to chase after her at a medium speed as to not make her run away even if she noticed him coming. He would at least give her the benefit of the doubt before carrying out his duty. Seeing that she was distracted by something be he took the opportunity to close the distance between them. But before he fully starts his target mace at ready, she fled into the forest.

Calling out to the woman to halt he begins to pick up speed. But stopping himself from a full charge knowing that his horse would not fail him. ," Halt there miss might I inquire about your business here. I do apologize for the weaponry but as you can see", jesting to the village. Not wanting to come off as super aggressive he tries to talk a little "Things are a little crazy right now and one best be prepared." Keeping his attention on her but now and then looking back at the village. Seeing that the shy had darkened.
He thinks that things don't seem too well hopefully we will finish up the rebels soon. I would like not to lose to many men in this fight. No this is more of a one-sided slaughter than a fight. Knowing the rebels can not do much against a force of this size.

He truly thought it was unfortunate this village decided to side with the rebellion. It is pretty far out of the way and well-hidden. Things might have ended differently this day for them.

 

[WitworthGold]

Fianna "Fi" Underhill
Quarter Elf - Herbalist | Location - Forest & Clearing| Interaction: Stern LuLuLu​

The soldier's sudden approach spooked Fi from her distracted state and immediately caused her to dart off into the woods. For the second time this day she was running through the woods from a man brandishing a weapon. "This is a sign." she thinks to herself, putting as much distance between him and herself as possible. The sound of his voice, attempting to calm her rather than demanding surrender, caught of off guard and caused her to falter and snare her hood on a low hanging branch. Despite the cold, the branch was a healthy one and rather than give way to her momentum, her hood was instead snatched away from her head freeing her locks to blow in the wind. In the few moments it took for her to free herself from the branch he'd very nearly closed the distance between them.

"Halt there miss might I inquire about your business here. I do apologize for the weaponry but as you can see..."

Free from the branch she took a few steps away from the tree to put a least a small amount of distance between them before turning to face him. "I could ask you the same. Why are the king's men razing a farming village and butchering innocents?" she responds staring up at the helmeted face. She watches him gesture to the mace as he speaks again.

"Things are a little crazy right now and one best be prepared."

"That madness didn't spark itself." she says taking a few more steps backward. She wouldn't turn her back to this one, he pretended civility but his mount and finery gave away that he was one of the men in charge of the slaughter. "Spare me your play at innocence... these people did nothing to deserve what you and your men are doing to them. If there were any mages among them surely they'd be fighting back." Fi was under no illusion that her words would ever find purchase in the mind or heart of someone like him. Someone guided by at best blind loyalty or worst inborn cruelty but she did hope that they would buy her enough time to come up with a plan.

 

[Stern LuLuLu]

Knight/Adventurer|
Vito Silverheart |

interactions: WitworthGold

Seeing the lady dart off once she caught sight of him only made him think that this is not helping her case. Then he sees her get hooked to a branch making him chuckle a bit. While trying to get a good look at her to gauge her before things escalate. Before gaining his composure back and addressing her." We are here to crush the rebellion that threatens our lands miss." He makes sure to keep most of his attention on her while seeing if there are any other people nearby."Do you also believe that everyone in this village is innocent?"

"Would you not put a fire out before it spreads. But there are chances of some of the rebels trying to sneak off with the innocent as well, so I will say it is unfortunate for those who are truly innocent."But he did make sure to keep up with her. "I will admit that you surprised me..."Stopping himself from asking her why she came back to the village when you could have escaped. He figures that maybe she wanted to do something helpful. Reaching over to the side of his horse he pulls out a sheathed short sword. Throwing it at her feet.
" Unless you want to surrender. Flight or fight my lady, either way, my mace shall fall.
But also, what makes you think that there aren't people fighting back."

 

[WitworthGold]

Fianna "Fi" Underhill
Quarter Elf - Herbalist | Location - Forest | Interaction: Stern LuLuLu

​

"We are here to crush the rebellion that threatens our lands miss."

An expression of utter disgust, made even more pronounced as features as fair as hers not being intended to make them, settles across her face at hearing his words. "People fighting for their lives against a warlord and his thugs doesn't make them any more rebels than your following orders makes you a hero." she doesn't stop moving even as they speak, unwilling to allow any distance shorter than the length of his horse exist between them. His next statement sends tremors of shock through the veil of disdain she wears as she regards him.

"Do you also believe that everyone in this village is innocent?"

"I'm not old enough to consider myself wise, but I know well enough that if there was some hint of rebellion in the village that rooting it out would be better than condemning the innocent to die with the guilty..." she stops speaking for a moment to gather her thoughts just before he interrupts.

"Would you not put a fire out before it spreads. But there are chances of some of the rebels trying to sneak off with the innocent as well, so I will say it is unfortunate for those who are truly innocent. I will admit that you surprised me..." Fi took note of his momentary pause as if we wanted to say something more before he drew a blade from the side of his horse and tossed it to her feet and spoke again. "Unless you want to surrender. Flight or fight my lady, either way, my mace shall fall. But also, what makes you think that there aren't people fighting back."

In that moment her instincts take over. Unknowingly she calls on all the hurt that's been her near constant companion over the past months. All the grief at her mother's unfair death, the anger at seeing so many villages razed, and the despair at arriving too late to anything but bury the dead come to a head focused on him. She clenches her fist in anger and as she does so nearby branches and ivy spring suddenly to life and begin to ensnare him first wrapping around his mace and arm before going for his legs and free arm.

 

[Stern LuLuLu]

Knight/Adventurer|
Vito Silverheart |

interactions: WitworthGold


Upon hearing her words Vito can see that she must have some resentment for the King's forces. But she was not the first he has met like this. There will always be people like this not that he couldn't understand. He did believe that was a better plan. Thinking about how he would have made the suggestion but knew the king would not care.
Then he saw that she was preparing to fight. But instead of picking up the sword. But instead of the ground around Vito suddenly comes to life and starts to wrap around him. He is surprised at first seeing that she was a witch getting both of his arms caught. Before his legs are completely trapped to he looks at it with his eyes glowing making his horse go into a full charge. While he whispers to it "charge unimpeded my friend."His horse burst forth with sudden power ripping apart the ground as it frees him from the vines, leaving his mace still caught in them. His eyes going back to normal.

Charging at her full speed he tells her." I agree with you on the ladder of half of what you said. But I don't have the luxury of siding with you more than that".Thinking his family is too deep into the capital along with his mother for him to wane. Sending his horse to the side not wanting it to get hurt he rolls off of it grabbing the sword at her feet still sheathed before doing a diagonal cut at her. Then throwing a kick to her side. Taking a look at the area for anyone else. "Unfortunately, a warlord may fit him too well but he is the king now."

 

[Baradour]

With a sigh Baradour stepped out of the trees.


He’d heard the sounds of a man on horseback a distance away and had followed it away from the Village. Initially he’d hoped it might have been a refugee making a break for it but the unmistakable sounds of a military harness suggested otherwise.

As soon as he'd left the village Baradour had taken off his tabard and cast aside his rank insignia, so while he was obviously a Soldier and his shield marked him as being from the army he had tried to distance himself from them.

The horseman looked to be following...chasing ? a woman . Baradour damned his eyes again as peered through the trees. Stepping carefully towards the pair he got close enough to see the knight, who somehow seemed stuck in some vines or undergrowth suddenly charge towards the woman before rolling off the horse and attacking her.


Stepping into the clearing, tightening the straps on his shield Baradour addressed the soldier, hoping to distract him away from the woman .

“Oi whoreson ! “ he bellowed, “Wanna try that with someone who actually has a weapon ?”, he nodded to the woman “’Scuse me Miss, you don’t mind if I cut in do you ?”

Drawing his sword he strode towards the pair.

 

[AncientBird]

Juniper Penna

-------------------------

Juniper had already returned to her human form when she heard coughing sound coming from the fallen boy on the ground. The girl hurried to his side, started gaining hope that it mightn't be too late yet... However, once she was right beside him, she could see that the javelin had pierced deep into the boy's hind... It might missed vital organs, but the boy was hopeless nonetheless...

"Help..." Called the boy, albeit very weakly...

"I'm sorry this happened to you, love." Said Juniper caringly as she knelt down next to him. "...But I'm afraid I can't help you much..."

"Not...me... My brother and sister..." Whispered the boy. "Are they alright?..."

"Yes, dear... They are still in the hideout, the soldiers didn't get to them." Jun said.

"...Please... Help them... Take them with... You... Please..."

"You don't have to be worried... I will not let anything bad happen to them."

"Thank you.... Thank...You...."

The boy let out his last breath and his face froze in place... Jun couldn't help but teared up in pity of the unfortunate boy... So young, too young to die like this. She closed his eyes and patted the boy in his head and then got up, heading toward the place where the younger siblings were hiding.

Jun arrived at the fallen log. She could clearly see movement behind the plucked branches and ferns the deceased boy used to conceal his siblings. Jun wiped out her tear and sat down next to the hideout. "Hello, is anyone in there?" She asked, trying to sound as kind and friendly as she could.

"Go away! Bad man!" Cried a little girl's voice.

"It's alright, little one. The soldiers are gone now.... You can come out, I promise I won't hurt you."

There was no reply, so Jun carefully push the concealing debris aside, just to had a large swig swatted on her hand. "Ouchhh!!!" She cried and pulled her hand backward. Under the log sat the little girl with her toddler brother. She held a large swig in her hand while her glare, fierce yet somewhat adorable, came out of her beautiful green eyes. "Keep your hands away from us!!!" The girl warned, swinging her swig furiously.

"It's alright! It's alright, sister! See, I am on your side! There is nothing to be afraid, I don't have any weapon..." Jun said and lifted both of her hands in the air. "...And definitely no armor..." She rotated her body around. "I am not the soldier, I was running away from them just like you!"

The girl began to ease up and laid down her weapon. She carefully led her little brother out of the log, yet she seemed to still be suspicious about this new stranger. "Where is our brother, Francis?" She asked.

That question made Jun's face dull again. "...He... He won't be coming back again, little one... He's in a better place now." Said Jun, sadly. "No! Francis would never leave us! Tell us the truth!" The girl shouted. "I know it's hard to accept, but he's really gone now... To the heaven..." Replied Jun.

Tear started to come out from the little girl's face as she pulled her brother into her embrace. The little boy didn't share any of her sorrow... He was so young and was probably more confused than feeling anything else. "Aww... Don't cry! I hate seeing little children cry... Please, your brother wouldn't want you to cry like this." Jun said and tried to calmed to girl down.

Suddenly, her excellent hearing heard people talking, not so far away... She looked around nervously and turned to the two little children again. "Shushhh... Please don't cry now... It isn't safe here. We need to get out." Jun said and reached her hand in. The little girl surprisingly could operate her emotion quite well and wiped down her tear. "Why should we trust you? Even if you are not one of the bad man, you could be a children-eating witch!" The girl said.

"Oh, I don't like eating children at all, it's the last thing in the world I would do... But, please! Just trust me for this... We can talk later, but now we need to go, here take my hand!" Juniper said, still looking around nervously.

The girl still seemed distrusting to her but she gave Jun her hand anyway. The 3 of them then started making there way out of there.

 

[WitworthGold]

Fianna "Fi Underhill
Quarter Elf - Herbalist | Location - Forest | Interaction: Stern LuLuLu & Baradour

​

Fi's hopes that the vines would hold him were dashed when at his command the horse took off at a full charge in her direction tearing up the ground and the vines that had begun to grasp it's rider. Fi stumbled back a step which fortunately gave her just the space she distance needed to avoid the slash he made with the, no longer discarded, shortsword.

"I agree with you on the ladder of half of what you said. But I don't have the luxury of siding with you more than that."

The kick he directed at her, however, struck true and sent her sprawling to the ground winded. Fi's experience with tusseling was limited to the occasional small spat with village children of her youth and even then rarely were they able to cause any real harm to one another before an adult was able to step in and break things apart. Suffice it to say both the force and suddenness of the attack caught her off guard. The pain from the kick was sharp and left a dull ache in the area around it, she hoped that there was no broken rib, if so it would make travel and if necessary escape impossible.

"If you see doing what's right as a luxury you can't afford then you're everybit the monster that tyrant is." she spat the words out at him as she worked to pull herself to her feet using the support of a nearby tree.

"Unfortunately, a warlord may fit him too well but he is the king now."

She didn't know what to say in response to that, this man had to be mad to acknowledge the king as a monster and still serve him regardless. For the first time in this conversation she felt true fear, cruelty and apathy could not be reasoned with. Fi was so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't noticed the second stranger approach until she heard his voice goading the madman into fighting it then asking her if she'd mind if he cut in.

"Oi whoreson! Wanna try that with someone who actually has a weapon? Scuse me Miss, you don’t mind if I cut in do you?"

 

[Stern LuLuLu]

Knight/Adventurer|
Vito Silverheart |

interactions: WitworthGold & Baradour


The lady seems to be nimble on her feet enough to dodge his sword attack but not his follow up kick. Seeing his opponent down and not too far from defeat. At least in terms of combat but she would not yield in the conversation. The only way thing left to do was call for backup.
"I never said what I was doing was right only that it is my best only option." Before he can say any more a new but old voice calls out to him. Vito turns to see a knight that he recognized from the march here. But he had none of his indemnification gear on all but his shield." What do mean by that sir."Vito would at least show him the respect of an older soldier until he was sure of his intentions." It almost sounds and looks like you're betraying the country. So would you like to make sure of what you're doing at this moment?" Seeing if he was really thought of going to do this. "If you would like me to ignore what you said, catcher her. But on the other hand". Striking a pose that says come at me.

Vito knew he could handle himself in any one on one fight but if these two join up together he would have a problem. Looking over to the lady. " I apologize it seems someone else wants to cut in."Turning away from her again but keeping her in mind. He would have to use his eyes a lot more than he would like in the worst case. Thinking at times like these are when he should have taken his mom up on those lessons.

 

[Funky Cat]

"This far aught to do..." Jack muttered quietly.
He was just inside the tree line, almost within spitting distance of the enemy archers. Slowly, he began breathing in and out. He was nervous - he didn't like fighting, after all. Still, it wssn't as if he could just do nothing.

Jack crouched down as his heart beat quickly, gathering his strength. He sprang forward before he could feel the enroaching fear, jumping mid sprint to deliver a double booted kick to the back of an enemy soldier. The other soldiers nearby turned to look in surprise as Jack scrabbled to his feet.
"Come on boys, when you're snooping around like this you're supposed to watch your arse!" He jeered, an adrenaline fueled grin plastered on his face.
His grin vanished quickly, however, as the soldiers took aim. He quickly doubled back to the tree line, diving behind a particularly thick trunk. Immediately afterwards he heard the sound of several arrows embedding themselves in the tree that protected him.

Jack peeked his head out to assess the damage. The arrows were frighteningly accurate, it was likely that he would've been pincushioned had he not hidden himself. Nevertheless he turned to the soldiers to taunt them once more.
"You boys really missed me? Couldn't hit the broadside of a barn!" He yelled, before ducking into cover as an arrow wizzed by his head.
He couldn't hear any more arrows coming, so they were either waiting for him to come out or heading out to surround him. Doing both was also not out of the question considering their numbers. If he moved now they would probably peg him, if he waited then they would cut off his escape routes. His mind raced as he considered the predicament. If he ran back into the forest then he could probably escape, but they would be right back to shooting villagers then. He needed to distract them for a little longer, then hopefully someone else would be able to do more than he did.

 

[Baradour]

Shield on arm and sword in hand Baradour moved towards the knight, with each step he was also edging sideways closer to the Woman. He was sure he presented enough of a threat to guarantee the knight would focus on him and given he’d already displayed a willingness to attacker her, unarmed or not, Baradour wanted to be able to cover her if necessary.

“Am I betraying the country or has the ‘King’ already done that for me ?”

He knew the knight would probably be more skilled with a blade but shield on arm he’d match himself one on one with anyone…bar that monster Wolf. “It seems to me that someone willing to attack an unarmed woman is obviously one without honour”

Baradour was fully aware that in the name of the army and king he’d done many distasteful, some would say evil things but now his eyes had been opened and by the Raven he wasn’t about to turn back.

Coming up level with the woman he stepped past her and shot out a lunge at the Knight. A simple straight arm thrust with no expectation of hitting his opponent just drawing all his focus so the woman could move back out of range. He hoped she’d seized the opportunity but you just never knew.