Iliskra inhaled and exhaled sharply, ignoring the blistering cold that passed over her teeth and down her gullet making her chest burn. She turned her head round and about, looking over her company as the ragtag band trudged on steadily with the rumbling wagon. Most everyone maintained the steely faces and silence they had shown since leaving early that morning. What idle talking that had been done was mostly earlier in the day, and mostly between the strange man with the mask at his hip and whomever would entertain time with him. The brute with the large blade had apparently made an impression on several of the younger sword-arms in the bunch, three of which were gathered near him and spoke amongst themselves during the trek east. The Helmite woman kept to herself much like Iliskra did, eyes steely and focused on keeping watch on the roadside and along the River Ashaba that currented several yards out from the road. The two halflings stayed shoulder-to-shoulder as did the two dwarves. The grizzled wizard and most of the rest of the hirelings kept a distance among them. Everyone for the most part it seemed was solely focused on finding Lord Hastlon’s man and getting to the encampment soon, a sentiment Iliskra shared. Though she did not let it show Iliskra’s legs were growing weary due to the hard march through the slick snow, having to keep her footing firm and putting extra weight into her steps to avoid slipping and falling. The twenty travelers had not made it far past the crossing to Scarsdeep before the first complaint was heard - bursting from the mouth of one of the swordsmen that trudged along near the heavily armored man.

“How much further can it be? This man we’re looking for surely couldn’t be anywhere near to the city…”

“Hopefully nothing happened to him,” said another, “I don’t want to have to go tramping through these hills and thickets looking for a hidden camp.”

“He should be somewhere near.” the wagon driver spoke up for the first time in a while. “Everyone just keep your eyes wide.”

Iliskra’s head swiveled on her shoulders, her keen eyes darting in their sockets like minnows in the shallows as she looked over every bramble, grove of trees, and row of bushes she could see. Something felt wrong. Iliskra could not say what but her instincts were on edge, she immediately noticed the lack of any noticeable sounds around them. The chirping of birds and tittering of squirrels that had been a constant since leaving Chandlerscross had ceased rather suddenly it seemed. Everyone else noticed it too, the driver yanked the reigns of his pull-horse making the overly piled wagon come to a groaning stop. Iliskra and all the other hirelings stopping in unison, hands coming to rest on weapon hilts and shafts.

“Something’s wrong.” Said the huntsman in brown that had joined the band, stating the obvious. “The woods are suddenly so still.”

“Maybe it’s us?” grunted one of the mercenaries inquisitively.

“So suddenly the woods do not take to us?” the Helmite woman asked with a raised brow. “After the whole of the day?”

“There is someone… or something… nearby.” said one of the halflings carefully.

Iliskra heard a sharp whistling sound - her hair prickling - followed by a [i]thunk[/i]. A sharp cry of pain tore out from among the band, Iliskra’s mace and dagger coming free from their sheaths as the half-elf crouched into a defensive posture - turning her head towards the source of the scream. It was the wagon driver - the man lurched forward suddenly in his seat before tilting off to one side and falling down into the snow with a sploosh near Leon. From the drivers’ chest, right over where his heart would be, sprouted the unmistakable shape of a crossbow bolt. 

“Ambush!” someone yelled. Swords and other weapons came up as everyone scrambled about, looking for where the shot came from and preparing to defend themselves. Iliskra heard more whistling sounds followed by the Helmite woman shouting, “Watch yourselves!” She raised her shield, two bolts ricocheting off and landed in the snow. Two bolts hit the wagon missing their mark - the man with the mask. One of the mercenaries near the heavily armored man crumpled to the ground suddenly - a bolt lodged between his eyes. The young huntsman took a knee and hastily strung his bow, looking the treeline off to the left of the road where the first bolt seemed to have come from. Iliskra saw as the young man’s head suddenly tilted back, his bow dropping to the snow as his arms flailed and he shouted in frightened confusion. It was as if some unseen force had grabbed hold of him. A red slash appeared across his throat and blood began to pour down across his shoulders and chest, the young man collapsing over to one side gurgling as the life seeped from him. As she saw the unmistakable scurrying of something moving in the snow away from the dying man Iliskra shouted, “Invisibility, they’re using invisibility magic!”

A crossbow bolt struck the side of the towering swordsman’s helmet, bouncing off with a [i]pang[/i] and causing the oaf to stumble forward by three steps. “Cowards!” he bellowed as he steadied himself, “Come and face us!” As if in response there was a sudden cacophony of shouting as ten figures came charging out from the treeline toward the road with swords and maces raised over their heads. Eight humans and two very large orcs with ruddy-tan skin. [i]Brigands.[/i] Iliskra thought, noting their mismatched assortment of leather and mail armor and the unkempt, shaggy appearance of the humans. The orcs bared their upward jutted tusks, their beady yellow eyes filled with savagery as they lead the howling charge down the small ridge. The oaf swordsman raised his broadsword and dashed forward to meet the attackers directly, followed close by half of the hirelings - the rest staying back near the wagon. Iliskra caught site of a line of footprints streaking across the snow with no feet to make them - the invisible attacker. And they were moving straight for the mask-bearing man and the wagon. Iliskra shouted a warning as she would not reach the unseen foe in time before they reached him.