Fantasy Cursed Island

[Fangs9090]

"Very well then. You, me, and Emilia will walk ahead, the others will hang back and keep watch. If it doesn't go to plan, we'll use force."

 

[Darkling0096]

Jalin nodded and changed pace with his walking so he and Emilia were in front with Roy, while the others hung back, just barely within earshot of the group if something happened. The deeper they went into the woods, the darker it got, as both the sun going down and the dense canopy reduced light filtering down to the ground. A perfect time for an ambush if there ever was one, even the beastkin of the group were having trouble seeing clearly in the near pitch-black wood.

 

[Fangs9090]

Sure enough, they found one before long. A lone man stood in their way, dressed in the same kind of shoddy gear as the other bandits they'd fought and holding a dagger. "Awfully late for a stroll, eh?"

 

[Darkling0096]

"Is it?", Jalin asked, "I thought it was still daytime." A blind man could hardly tell when night had fallen by the sun's absence.

 

[Fangs9090]

Emilia looked at Jalin. "No, it's been dark for a while. That's why we got lost."

Roy looked at her. "Don't tell them we're lost. That's how you get robbed."

The man smiled. "Right you are." A few more bandits dropped down from the trees around them, surrounding the group of three. "So, hand over-"

One of the other bandits spoke up. "Hold on. I see gold. A whole staff of it."

"Oh? A rich man, are you?"

 

[Darkling0096]

"You never told me you were rich," Jalin frowned, "We've been wandering for a place to stay because of you!"

"Now, now," one of the bandits smiled, "We'll have you a warm place to stay, just hand over your valuables."

 

[Fangs9090]

"Hold on, you remember what the boss said? 'Rich men have good stuff on them, but the ransom for them is usually worth double or more.'"

Roy raised his hands. "Now, now. My wealth has nothing to do with situation. Let's just, ah, hand over our stuff and be on our way."

One of the bandits shook his head. "Can't do that. You're comin' with us. Hands where we can see 'em."

 

[Darkling0096]

"I think we're in trouble, Roy," Jalin said.

"You heard the man," weapons were drawn, and surrounding them in the woods Jalin heard the clicking of... it must have been dozens of crossbows. This had to have been the only road through this forest for so many bandits to be patrolling it. "Hands in the air!"

Jalin's walking cane rested against his shoulder as he put his hands up.

 

[Fangs9090]

Emilia and Roy likewise raised their hands in surrender as the bandits ushered them deeper into the woods.

 

[Darkling0096]

Following behind as close as they were able to, the rest of the party hid and kept an eye out as other bandits came to collect the dropped belongings. Sinach, Jalin's cane, and one of Roy's staves got picked up as they were led deeper into the woods.

"Keep calm, Sinach," Siege whispered as she watched one of the bandits flip through the pages and then sneeze on the tome. That guy just made Sinach's shit list. "Let's move," they had to keep up.

 

[Fangs9090]

The bandits led them right to the fort, nestled in a man-made clearing, The place was old but still standing, though it was clearly not thanks to the bandit's efforts of keeping it in good condition. The walls were beginning to crumble in a few places, and the gaps were "mended" with just some wooden boards haphazardly wedge into place. The large gate of reinforced wood was once comprised of two doors, but one had fallen off its hinges and was now more of a welcome mat, covered in dirty bootprints. One of the bandits keeping watch on the wall called out as he noticed the others bandits approaching with their catch. They replied with a whistle and were allowed through without question.

 

[Darkling0096]

When Jalin overheard the word "Fortress", he expected a mighty mini-castle capable of holding off an army for a while, not the sad Svusian cheese mess of stone and wood that greeted his ears through the complaints on the wind. And this was a stronghold? The plan should be executed easier than they thought!


"You guys are seeing this, right?", Siege asked as she looked the fort over. "It looks like it's one good sneeze from crumbling to dust!"

"Shh," Turac looked for any opening as the others were ushered in, "Wait for a signal."

 

[Fangs9090]

One of the bandits must have gone ahead, as someone was waiting in the courtyard when they arrived with their escort. He was a big man, wearing heavy armor with a large sword to match. His equipment was a step above the rest. It was a small step, but still. He must have been their "boss," having taken charge by being stronger and scarier than the others. One of the escort bandits spoke up. "We found travelers lost in the woods. Rich ones."

The bandit leader looked Roy, Emilia, and Jalin over before he chuckled. "Maybe there's hope you idiots yet. Lock 'em up. We'll send the ransom letter to the capital tomorrow."

 

[Darkling0096]

Jalin couldn't help but give a chuckle at the mention of sending a ransom letter to the capital of Elyon. The courts of this country didn't even know they existed, yet. As they were ushered to cells, which weren't in much better condition than the rest of the fortress, there was very little by way of controls. They could talk, but they were watched by a guard that walked by every few minutes. "Hmm," Jalin frowned as he tracked steps, "This has not gone according to plan." Hopefully in a good way.

Meanwhile in another part of the castle, where the treasures were stored until they could be sold or used, the man that had sneezed on Sinach's pages was fiddling around with the wealth stolen from their prisoners. Roy's staves, Sinach, and Jalin's cane. Sinach watched from the table as the man twiddled with the blind man's walking stick, stumbling on features he didn't need to be messing with, until-

THUNK! The knob handle of the cane shot out and beaned the man square on the chin with the force of a punch. Sinach didn't know how Jalin made that happen, but it put the treasurer down, and he liked watching the man that blew a loogie on his pages get put on his ass. "My turn," the paper dragon refolded and blew an inky gobbet into the treasurer's face, before scooting to go find the others. For once, he was glad he was dyed black, as now it meant it was much easier for him to hide as he searched the castle.

 

[Fangs9090]

Roy shook his head as he examined the bars while he could do so without being seen. "No, it has not. But it's not dire, at least. They intend to keep us alive, at least until they get paid. Or find out we're not worth anything."

Emilia glanced around. "Tonight's probably not a good night to call my parents."

Roy paused before looking at her. "Do you still have your mirror?"

Emilia blinked before checking. They hadn't patted them down, so it was still there. "Yeah."

"Jalin, do you know the spell Niudisa used a few years back to jump through the mirrors?"

 

[Darkling0096]

"Of course," Jalin nodded, "I believe lady Niudisa's mirror resides within her bag of holding, however."

 

[Fangs9090]

"It should work on any mirror though. Such Emilia's and Nidia's. We could get everyone in here and attack from inside, take them by surprise."

 

[Darkling0096]

"I don't think they can stretch that far," Jalin frowned, he'd never tried to use the mirror to pass anything larger than a cat through the gate. Niudisa probably knew more, but she wasn't here to lend her knowledge.

 

[Fangs9090]

"They can. Mom sometimes used this one as a full-body mirror. And her full body isn't small."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Hmm," Jalin appeared to be doing some mental gymnastics, "At least one person would have to remain outside, with the other mirror, so it isn't picked up by someone passing by."

 

[Fangs9090]

Roy nodded. "On the other side, we have Siege, Nidia, Katsuo, and Turac. Turac's most effective at fighting when he's full sized, but he would fit in here then. So maybe he can stay back and attack the outside while we attack the inside? Maybe with one other person to back him up."

 

[Darkling0096]

"Hmm, perhaps leaving Nidia with Turac would cause the least troubles," Jalin stroked his chin in thought, going silent as the guard made another pass-through. "Contact one of them on the amulets."

-----

"Gotcha," Sinach smiled as he made his way to the highest point in the fort, sneaking up behind the lookout. He may have been a dragon, but he was folded with Wyvern features, like a tail bearing a stinger, and his own venom to power it. "Knock, knock," Sinach declared to get the lookout's attention before flying at the man's face, delivering sleeping stings to the face and neck area to put him down, refolding into a medium-sized form to get the signalling mirror.

-----

"They've been in there for a while," Siege grumbled, getting antsy.

 

[Fangs9090]

Roy nodded, moving to the back corner of the cell before calling up Siege’s amulet.

—————

Katsuo kept his gaze on the fort as he spoke. “They’re in the most danger. They must be cautious, and caution is rarely quick.”

 

[Darkling0096]

"Yeah, but," Siege paused and lifted her amulet, careful not to crush it, "What is it?"

About that time, Sinach found the signal mirror, pointing it so it was visible to the party hiding in the bushes. For Katsuo, being a battle-hardened hero, understanding the signal Sinach was sending was easy to understand. The fortress itself was sparsely staffed and weak, they could beat their way in and hold the only entrance with Turac's big body.

 

[Fangs9090]

"We have an idea. Jalin can use a spell to allow us to pass between mirrors. Doing that, we could get you and Katsuo in here while Turac and Nidia attack from the outside."

Katsuo spoke up. "Someone is signalling... The fort is poorly staffed, fighting to get in and holding the entrance could be done."