Between Israfel's and Fleur's attacks, the Orc Chieftain is dealt two mighty blows. He falls to his knees, blood pouring from his wound and making his face go white. He mutters a curse in a black tongue, then looks at all of you and his eyes go dull. He crumples to the ground, dead.
Round 2:
20 Fleur
14 Chief
13 Xochtli
10 Kers
9 Orcs
8 Israfel
Kers rolls to the side avoiding his remaining assailant and then takes his feet. Steadying himslef he mutters Death warrant, bah and then to his friends he says seriously, but with a smile playing at the corner of his mouth, That one was supposed to be mine!
Xochtli will move to flank one of the other orcs with everyone, whoever she is best in position to.
Kers slides to the side, cautiously getting to his feet while Xochtli slides to flank one of the orcs.
The three orcs snarl and attack, their long greatswords each flashing toward one of the combatants.
Orc #1 vs Fleur:
Orc #2 vs Xochtli:
Orc #3 vs Israfel:
Only the orc menacing Xochtli gets a hit, dealing damage to the woman, cutting her open from shoulder to hipbone and toppling her to the ground. He snarls and turns to face another attacker.
Round 3:
20 Fleur
13 Xochtli
10 Kers
9 Orcs
8 Israfel
Stepping forward to defend Xochtli, Israfel silently thrusts her staff towards the orc's face.
Israfel swings her staff, but the orc deftly sidesteps, scoffing at her skill.
Round 3:
20 Fleur
13 Xochtli
10 Kers
9 Orcs
8 Israfel
Kers steps forward swinging his whole torso into what he hopes will be a devastating swing against the orc who just hit Israfel.
Seeing the ax penetrate, he snarls at the offending orc, Now it's your turn pig f57ker!
Kers steps forward and swings at Orc #2, cutting deeply into the orc's stomach. The orc pales and falls backwards, bleeding heavily.
Fleur moves to flank and attacks an orc
Fleur's expert attack catches one of the other orcs as he raises his greatsword to attack. Her sword enters the gap below his armpit and slips into his lung. He falls, making a gurgling noise as his life fades away.
The last orc sees Fleur take down his friend and attacks her!
Attack:
He swing catches her off-balance as she recovers from the attack, dealing damage to her. She staggers, nearly felled by the blow.
Round 4:
20 Fleur
13 Xochtli
10 Kers
9 Orcs
8 Israfel
Stepping behind the remaining orc, Cilyanka raises her staff in an attempt to strike the ork from behind before it can swing again at Fleur.
Fleur waits a moment, allowing Xochtli to have the strategic advantage of the flank, before she staggers back and away from the orc... spitting blood... she can barely hang onto her blade... She glances around at the gathered halflings as she moves back...
Best make sure none of these halflings seem to be in league with the orcs. I'm in no condition to go from frying pan to fire...
Once away from the last remaining orc, she tucks a stray strand of hair back into position on her head, and smooths it down, silently cheering her companions on to destroy the remaining foe.
Kers turns to his remaining foe and says with glee, I am going to like this more than you are I think.
Kers' axe takes the orc high in the shoulder and cleaves upward, nearly cutting the head from the body. The orc looks baffled for a moment, as if he's about to speak, then falls, blood streaming through the air.
The combat goes still as all four orcs lie dead on the ground. Around you, the scene is much less tranquil as halflings run to form a bucket brigade and fight the fires. Xochtli lies unmoving, and Fleur looks close to collapse. Only Kers and Israfel have survived unharmed.
From the burning building a crash rumbles as some floor joist gives way. From the second story, there is the sound of breaking glass, then a shout in a harsh voice: "Make way below!" A moment later, Lump leaps from the window, landing hard with a whoosh. In his arms he holds a halfling babe and a screaming toddler. Shortly behind him Allain jumps, a bit more graceful as he lands, holding the twin to the toddler in Lump's arms. The mother cries with joy as she runs to the two, gathering her children in her arms and thanking the two with every breath. Allain's hood and headband have been lost, making his elven nature VERY apparent.
Around you, the town is rushing to fight the fire. They seem to have taken no notice of you at the moment, though you catch fearful glances at you and the dead orcs.
Setting her staff to one side, Israfel attempts to tend to Xochtil's wounds.
Damn these orcs. We won't be able to stay here, or use establish routes. They'll be hunting us like wolves after this.
How badly hurt are you Fleur?
Fleur takes quick stock of herself and groans softly. "It... It's bad... I can barely move."
She wavers on her feet, swaying slightly, and as the adrenaline rush of battle passes, she looks close to collapsing to the ground.
Kers has no experience with the healers arts, but instinctively goes to Xochtli to see i9f he can staunch the flow. Healr, we need a healer! he bellows.
A halfling woman starts to step forward toward you, but an older man stops her. The halflings are all giving you wide berth, avoiding eye contact.
Allain steps forward. "I can help. I may need help walking after this." He reaches forward and touches Xochtli's brow, humming slightly.
Until you hear a song. A faint, hopeful song. A song of trees and earth, of spring mornings and winter afternoons, of summer nights and autumn days. A song of life.
Then a hand is pulling you back, a light touch, but warm and alive. You open your eyes to see the elf, Allain, collapse next to you, his face wan and drawn and pale.
Allain suddenly goes stiff and cries out, falling to the side. His face is pale and clammy, but as he falls, Xochtli opens her eyes,
As Allain cries out, the halfling woman whose children were saved rushes forward. The older man stops her, but she begins arguing in a high and lilting tongue. After a hasty exchange, the man nods and the woman rushes forward. She kneels next to Allain, examining him, but speaking to you all. "I may help you, because he helped me. It is a matter of debt that the elders cannot deny. But after I have helped, you must go. We will not hinder you, but we cannot help you either."
She examines Allain, then looks at Fleur's wounds. She calls out to a young halfling woman, sending her into the store for supplies. When she comes out, she mixes the herbs and powders together and pours a little into Allain's mouth, massaging his throat to make him swallow. He murmurs in his unconsciousness, but seems less pale and his breathing evens out. She hands a cup of the brew to Fleur and tells her to drink it. Fleur does and she feels a rush of energy and a slight numbness to her wounds.
As she mixes she murmurs something...
As the fire is finally doused, Lump limps up to you, favoring his left leg. "If you're going to go, we best go now." He turns and limps toward the docks, not waiting for you to follow.
Fleur looks from the halfling to Allain with an odd expression, lofting a single brow.
"Thank you, ma'am," she says as the fluid concoction heals her to positive health.
She turns to the others... "They are all right... we should go now, before we bring further trouble on them."
To the halflings she says, "Will you be alright dealing with the bodies? Best burn them completely lest you be caught with them in or near your town. And hide all signs of a fight having taken place here... I'm sorry we brought trouble to your city. It was not intended."
"They'll be burnt. We can't have them rising again come nightfall. Now go. We'll deal with what needs done." The halfling woman looks resigned to the hand Fate has dealt her.
"Well... I guess there goes the easier way up the river...." Xochtli murmurs softly, surveying her own woulds. "Before we go... burn the book... they figured us out somehow and its likely either our elf friend... which I find unlikely now... or tracking us with that book maybe... it could be other things but I would just as soon not take the chance at this point."
"We were supposed to leave on a barge in the morning. We've already paid for passage. Is that offer being rescinded or may we still go on the barge?" Fleur looks to see if the captain of the barge or perhaps the dockmaster are among those who came into the square to see the orcs, and if so, will they answer her.
If the townies don't know, we should go to the dock and at least ask... they may still allow us passage to get us out of town faster.
Kers looks back and forth with a dawning realization that this is his new life. He will be hunted and those near him will be hurt. Life will never be the same again. There will be no marrying a nice girl and having red headed babies. He might never even see his brothers again. Well, if that is the case he thinks to himself, best make it count for something.
Looking to the Elder he says, Send your best liar to get help. Tell them that we assaulted the orcs in an unprovoked attack, and that you drove us to the house that was burned, that we did that as well. Tell them how you aided the orcs, and how you want us caught and made to pay. Spare yourselves with whatever words it takes. And farewell.
If they are using the book to track us, it can burn.
So saying, Israfel pulls the book out of her pack and throws it into the burning building.
We'd best put some miles between us and this town before nightfall. Are you two okay to walk?
The elder nods at Kers' words and turns back to the diminishing blaze. When you head to the docks you see Lump and the Captain hastily loading the barge. The captain looks up as you approach. "Grab them bags and stack them there. Lump'll show how. We shove off in 20 minutes. It's getting a bit too dark here for my tastes."
Fleur helps with stacking bags as directed, whatever will help hasten departure. Despite being still badly wounded, she does whatever she can to assist.
Kers glares at Fluer, and then tells her, Rest now and let me do your share. You will need your strength for later I am sure.. So saying he unloads her arms and doubles his efforts to make sure he is doing enough for both of them, and working up a nice sweat all at once.
Fleur, somewhat reluctantly, gives up her load to Kers. "I hate to see you work harder for my infirmity... it was my own fault, letting those orcs get the best of me back there. But thank you." She sits down on the barge and waits until all is loaded and they are ready to embark.
Israfel silently continues her labors, stowing gear, and carrying supplies as directed by the crew.
We've done it now, once word gets out there will be no stopping the until they find us
The loading of the barge is finished quickly, between Lump, Israfel and Kers' hard work. The Captain shoves off without ceremony, unfurling a sail and supplementing the wind with a long pole that he uses to prod the barge upriver. In a matter of hours, the halfling settlement is behind you. All this time neither the Captain nor Mr. Lump says much of anything.
It's getting near dark when the Captain finally breaks his silence.
"So, care to tell me why the Shadow's men are looking so hard for you?"
Fleur looks to Kers or Israfel to field this question as her own instinct is to tell the man little or nothing of their actual actions or intentions. She simply shrugs as if she doesn't know the answer.
It's bad enough for the man that he's taking us along the river. He doesn't need to know the truth of things here, he'll end up like the sheriff either way though if the orcs get to him. Best he knows as little as possible.
She shudders slightly and suppresses an urge to retch as she recalls the sight of the sheriff's head rolling from the bag.
Girl, you'd better get used to death. You're gonna see a lot more of it as time goes on. Time to put your big girl panties on and stop being so... soft.
Kers looks at Israfel, and seems to read her thoughts. It is easier now. he says, No more wondering when this will happen.
Kers breaks into an easy grin and says I will, but first, tell me why you would want to help people wanted by the shadow. He says it not as a challenge, but just a reminder that they are all safer knowing less about each other.
"Actually the less he knows the better... its not a matter of mistrust but safety... I'd rather not see them go after him if they think he knows something Kers... please be mindful of that."
Fleur speaks softly, almost as if speaking more to herself than the others. "Somehow I doubt ignorance will save him if the Shadow sends agents to question him. They won't care if he knows anything or not. They will treat him just the same."
"And if he were to know more I am sure they have a vast means of extracting it from him as well even against his will... either way it is still better he knows as little as possible."
I think it would be best if we stayed off the roads and out of towns after this. The Shadow will use any excuse to feed. The fewer such excuses we provide, the fewer the deaths on our conscious.
I already regret the pain the halflings will suffer due to our negligance.
The Captain listens to your conversation without expression. "I bear no love for the Shadow, nor for its servants. I'm no rebel; I just want to be left alone. As for getting involved, I took your gold and there was witnesses. Even if I plead innocence, I'm tarred with your brush. Plus Lump here vouched for you. He's got a good sense of people. If he says you're alright, I believe him. I'll get you where you're going. Then I'm going to sell this barge, move to a new river and get a new name. Ain't the first time I've had to elude pursuit for one reason or th'other. Hopefully won't be the last."
As you settle onto the barge, you find it a not disagreeable life. There's turns to be taken at the pole when the wind isn't strong, but the repetitive nature of the work gives you time to think. Given the possibility of pursuit, you work in shifts all day and night, guiding the barge at night by means of a bullseye lantern hung on a peg at the front of the boat.
The accommodations are basic: sleeping on the sacks of cargo when it's nice out and under a pitched tent when it rains. Meals are simple affairs, cooked over a small brazier at the prow of the boat. Water's easy enough, what with a freshwater river beneath you. You pass some small settlements as you go, but other than a friendly wave, you stop at none of them.
It's apparent that you're getting farther north as the nights become colder and the oak trees give way to pines. Your journey takes 11 days, during which time you have plenty of time to get to know the captain and Lump as you wish, as well as each other. Beneath the stars stories are told...