[IC] Fall of Vedrus

[SaikaAnge]

"Most were here when I got here. The spells were me, practice." Crim put her hand against one of the walls and traced one of the words. "There's elvish writing over there, but I can't make it out. Do you think you can?" she asked looking and Leo.

[RangerOfTheRit]

Leo walked up to the strange runes. They werent like any elvish he'd seen before, and his father had schooled him in many different elvish languages, old and new. However, there was something, like a memory in the back of his mind. Suddenly the words made sense. "The Heir has come." Leo said. He looked at the date underneath the writing, "Hey! this was written the day i was born! What a coincidence." he laughed and looked at Crim.

[SaikaAnge]

Crim looked back at him both happy and surprised. "Hm, that's interesting. Thank you for deciphering it for me." She laughed a little and walked with him back out of the cave.
As the sun began to go down Crim grabbed her own supplies for the trip and followed Leo back to the camp. "Ready,"

[RangerOfTheRit]

"Lets hit the road milady." Leo saddled his horse and began to ride east, Crim at his side.

[SaikaAnge]

As they drew closer to their destination Crim and Leo talked alot more. Telling each other stories and such. Crim was fascinated with Leo's stories about battles. They weren't like the scrimmages she got into, not by a long shot.
Within a couple days they had made it to the village on the edge of Duplil. "Well, I guess this is my stop." Crim's smile began to fade as she looked at the small town.

[RangerOfTheRit]

"Wait for me here for three days. I'll see you then." Leo stared into her eyes, hoping to make it clear that he would kill every Ironbane from Duplil to Astal to make sure he saw her again.

[SaikaAnge]

"Just don't die on me, okay?" she flashed a slight smile at him. Seralth flu over to him and landed in his lap, nuzzling against his chest as her own way of saying goodbye. "That means bye and you owe me more deer." Crim laughed a little. "Good luck, Leo. See you soon."

[jaybreezy]

Out in the distance, a caravan was visible. Two horses, stallions, and three soldiers along with five soldiers on horseback to follow. Alexander waited outside of Duplil, unable to see it from his angle. The caravan was full of goods, anything from weapons and armor to food and coin. This would be a big blow to the Ironbanes if Alexander's small team of six, including Leo, were successful.

[RangerOfTheRit]

Leo stood next to Alexander, stretching his bowstring. "How do you want to handle this? Charge in on the horses, or the more stealthy approach? It looks like only three of us have bows, so i vote charge in." He strapped his bow to his back and looked at Alexander.

[jaybreezy]

Alexander drew his sword, smirking a bit. "Anyone with bows should take cover behind the trees. But you, sit on top on the inn to fire your bow at one of their horses. Sound like a plan, my friend?" Alexander replied. He took some practice swings with his sword against the air.

[RangerOfTheRit]

"You'd have us fire on them while you're fighting? What if we hit one of our own? And plus, only three of you would be riding in to fight 8. Let us archers charge with you. We can fire from horseback and then join the melee." Leo nodded with his suggestion. His thoughts were of surviving so he could return for Crim. He needed this ambush to be successful.

[jaybreezy]

Alexander thought for a bit. "You know what...that might work better. Great idea, my friend." Alexander said with a smirk. He cracked his neck and did some quick stretches before getting his men to huddle with him. "Alright men. We need to do this quick and clean. I'd love for us to get out of here unharmed. For the Goldenblades!" Alexander yelled, starting to charge with his men. He let out a war cry, his adrenaline rising. He could feel himself getting pumped.

[RangerOfTheRit]

Leo mounted his horse and nocked an arrow. He aimed downfield and loosed the bolt. It pierced the wagon driver through the temple. He let off 5 more shots, taking out most of the soldier's horses. With 8 Ironbanes now on foot, Leo jumped from his horse and tackled one of the swordsmen. He drew his dagger and plunged it into the man's eyesocket. Leo stood and drew his two shortswords, twirling them with skill before engaging a soldier wielding a spear and a swordsman, at the same time.

[Tack]

The Countess Heidra va Rastenbruck tugged at the bonds tying her hands behind her back as the caravan lurched forward. She had been careless: stealing an artifact from a mere trade caravan under the noses of a few degenerate Ironbanes seemed an open and shut job. Things didn't go as planned: one panicked shout had an entire squadron of heavily armored guards breathing down her neck. Air blew into the holes and scars that the Ironbane swords had torn into her body before they realized she was an undead. Why they decided to capture her she could not yet guess--but it wasn't her intention to find out.

They had taken away her mask and cloak, leaving the flies to buzz at her skin. All of a sudden, as the caravan approached a village a war cry came up and an arrow flew into the cart driver's brain. Taking advantage of the distraction, she burst out from under the boxes heaped on top of her, dashing desperately for cover.

[jaybreezy]

Alexander and the two other swordsmen rushed some of the men on foot, killing most of them. 3 remained now and Alexander saw their commander. Alexander went blade to blade with the commander, wanting to get the leader of the caravan out the way. As they fought, he felt something warm go down his face, not knowing what happened. He struggled in the fight, the commander equally matched with Alexander. Sparks flew from metal hitting metal and the commander seemed to get the upper hand. Alexander wouldn't give up though.

[RangerOfTheRit]

Leo decapitated the swordsman with his elven shortsword. He stopped and caught his breath. Surveying the scene, he saw Alexander locked in combat with a man in a plumed helm, marking him as a captain. Leo bolted in that direction. Once he was about 5 feet away, he dropped to his knees and slid the rest of the way, his blades out like spikes. Taking out the commanders legs, he left the killing blow for Alexander.

[Tack]

Soldiers were everywhere--either a bandit or a Goldenblade ambush, though given the discipline of the attack Heidra knew these could be no paltry robbers. She darted a glance across her surroundings, finding a narrow alleyway between an inn and an adjoining house for a potential escape route. With a jump she dashed forward...and fell flat on her face in the dirt. Biting back a curse, she struggled to rise, turning her head back. She hadn't noticed that one of her feet had fallen off. Now she really cursed: she still wasn't used to her decomposing body and the absence of pain to notify her of the state of her body parts.

She also saw that one of the Ironbanes had noticed her escape and was running toward her with sword drawn. With a grunt she rolled her body as fast as she could in the opposite direction, noticing before it was too late she was hurtling toward Leo...

[jaybreezy]

Alexander swiftly drove his sword through the throat of the enemy. He thought all was over until and arrow nailed him in the arm. He cried out in pain, pointing to the last of the Ironbanes. He had a bow and was now running as the Goldenblades chased. But then something else caught his attention. "Leo! Go get her! Everyone else, take out that archer and sort through the supplies!" Alexander ordered, trying to pull the arrow out of his arm.

[RangerOfTheRit]

Leo glanced over towards what looked like a rolling carpet. He stuck his foot out as she rolled to him, stopping her. "Well hello." he said, wiping blood from his face. He sheathed his blades and offered to help her up.

[Tack]

Heidra instinctively pulled away--after being captured once she certainly wasn't going to get captured again. Then her eyes widened, as something in her body seemed to tug toward him: this man was covered with dragon scent.

How could some common Goldenblade grunt get anywhere near a dragon? Heidra thought in amazement.

She motioned her head toward the Ironbane heading toward them both.

"I believe something more pressing calls for your attention."

She turned her hands flat down on the ground, preparing at any moment to propel herself in another direction.