A Night to Survive

The sealed scroll of King Ramond was delivered to the Royal Guard Captain who would then take care of the details inside. When the Captain opened the scroll, he didn't know what to expect, but he knew what to look for. King Ramond marks each of his orders with a number ranging from one to five. Fives were usually simple work that the royal family needed done and ones were typically very important quests that needed to be done for the survival of the Kingdom. It was rare for anything higher than three to be ordered. So when the Captain read the scroll and it read "One", he could barely register it for minutes on end.

The scroll says that ten capable warriors are to be gathered and sent to the city of Everdale, a place not too far away from Westray itself. The scroll further explains that a young noble from the Grenver family is to be escorted from Everdale to Westray. Very little extra information is given besides that, and this was strange. Every order was given in complete detail, but the Captain was left pondering the information. Was this order misinterpreted by someone? Why was it a rank one order? Surely this young man cannot be that important that it could save the Kingdom itself, and what threatened the Kingdom enough to have the King and Queen order this. The Captain has heard the scout reports within the last couple of weeks. An increase of commoners reporting banditry all over the region and even warbands of Orcs burning village's where they once remain secluded in their forest homes. He wasn't ignorant, he could see the dots. A call was put out immediately for warriors that were strong enough to handle the escort duty. As candidates came in, the Captain made his choices one by one.

Darrin, a master of battle in his own right. He has worked alongside the Westray army many times and has taught his own personal maneuvers to some of the new recruits.

Bertie, an extraordinary archer that can harness the arcane winds into his bow. He channels the magic through him and into his arrows that give them properties that would easily take down even an Ogre.

Braiden, a man that is more of a brute than an actual warrior, but the Captain knows that he will get the job done. His strength rivals that of the beasts from the untamed lands.

Kane, a Champion of the Westray, Fighters Guild arena. For four straight years Kane has won against every brute and berserker that tried to compete.

Those four were easy choices for the Captain as he pulled the paperwork together to make things official. The four that were chosen were tasked with preparing their travel gear while the other six warriors were found. Usually the various adventurers and soldiers alike would be vetted before going into a quest, but the Captain knew that time was limited. The King would never ask for a ranked one order and expect a slow process.

Lion, an ambitious man of the Westray cavalry unit. His merit on the battlefield is exceptional and his leadership will be a great asset to the mission.

Nof, one of those born with lizard blood in their veins, a Lacerta. He utilizes strange arcane abilities with the runes seen from the Giants and with his incredible strength of that of an Ox will benefit the team.

Travie, a man from the Westray army, prides himself in his 29 years of service in the scouting regiment.

Cherli, a woman from the outskirts of Westray. She is regarded as a hermit to most, but many know of her skills in the arcane.

Ruben, a close friend to Cherli and member of the city's Humble Council. He often takes it upon himself to keep the city parks safe from being built upon.

Julia, a Paladin that often sails with the Westray navy, but now finds herself home for the time being. Her power cannot be overlooked.

The Captain, Alder Lowshield brought the ten warriors together. They each passed inspection that was routine and as Alder stands before them he says, "You each were chosen because the King wills it and a very important job needs done without fail. You have all been given the details of what is expected for this job. The information is limited because it is on a need to know basis and you must respect that. Now, because time is also limited, I will dismiss you, but before that does anyone have objections?". Everyone was silent and their quiet glances to one another meant they all felt the same. "Alright! Dismissed" Alder shouted to the ten warriors before him.

The group descended from the castle that lies in the center of Westray and made their way towards the northern gate. Cherli pulls out a map of the region that was supplied to them and she mapped out a course to follow that would lead them directly to Everdale without taking too much time. When they reach the gate, a carriage and rations have been prepared for their departure. Lion inspected the carriage itself and greeted the horses that were rested and ready to travel. He climbs into the coach box where he takes the reins. "Well, are we ready?" Lion asked as the rest of the group loaded their packs into the carriage. While some loaded into the carriage to ride, others decided to walk along due to limited space.

-

The castle loomed on the highest hilltop and viewed down to the northern gate and from there, the King watched the people who were only tiny specs to go to and from their daily business. Captain Alder makes his way into the hall of the throne and takes a knee. "They have prepared and I saw them off not half an hour ago M'lord". King Ramond pulls away from the window and stands next to his seat as King, he brushed the elegant wood of the seat before speaking as if he was caught in deep thought and needed a moment to regain himself. "Good - good." The King lay silent, his blank stare locked on Captain Alder. "Sire, if I may ask. Why is this young noble so important?".

"The boy is important because things are happening in the world that require cooperation. It isn't just the boy, many others that have called the Drasha Kingdom an ally are coming together." The King gently walks around his throne and sits in it. "Rise Captain. This is just the beginning and I have many more things I will need you to take care of for me, to help me prepare for the arrival of so many. For now I dismiss you back to your duties. I will send more orders soon enough and I will need to be ready" Captain Alder stood again and quickly took his leave without a word. The meeting with the King was brief which is strange by itself, what the King speaks of must be true and must be eating away at him constantly.

-

Along the road, there was absolutely nothing and the ten warriors preferred it this way. It made their job easier. Lion has so far talked only about the coin and reputation this would bring him, having been assigned to a rank one order. Darrin plays with a tiny glass vial that he wears around his neck. It looks empty, but he seems to treasure it with the way he handles it. Braiden has a pronounced scar across his face from a battle many years ago, and Nof cannot help but stare out of curiosity while he strums a rather small lute. This group is rather strange together and no one speaks to one another except Ruben and Cherli.

The first day of travel comes to an end with the group making camp off the road with a massive fire blazing at its center. As they eat some berries Ruben was able to forage from the day, Lion speaks up. "So who is this young noble? The Captain never explained anything!". Lion looked back and forth from one face to another, waiting for an answer.

"The young Lord's name is Tobias. But that is all I was able to figure out before the team was put together" Darrin replied.

"I heard that it might have something to do with the increase in the bandit activity and I even heard a rumor that they are becoming organized" Kane added. Lion looked out into the surrounding forest, only hoping he didn't see anything.

"I don't see the point in bringing this brat to the King. All the King needs to do is send out the Westray army and be done with it." Julia said as she polishes a piece of her armor.

"I believe it is more complicated than that" Darrin said. Little by little they started to open up and speak their minds about their assignment.

The morning sun rises and the group is already back on the road. By noon they find themselves at the gates of Everdale. The guards looked cautiously at them like they were expecting something to happen. They entered the city without problems and a guide was even hired to take them to the Grenver estate. Tobias waited with his belongings in the front garden and a good number of personal guards dotted the area and kept a close eye on any interactions. The carriage came down the street and parked not too far away.

Darrin and Bertie walked out to meet with Tobias and those that guarded him. The Captain of the guard comes forward and meets with them. Discussing matters, they explain that they have come from Westray under the direct order of King Ramond to escort Lord Tobias. From the moment they leave Everdale and until he returns, he will be under the care and protection of Westray and King Ramond. It wasn't long until Kane and Travie were out helping Tobias with his things and getting them into the carriage. When they were ready, the Captain handed Darrin a sealed scroll from the Grenver family and explained that it is meant only for the King's eyes and must be delivered as soon as they arrive back home. He takes the scroll and puts it safely away in his pack.

They weren't even in the city for an hour and they were already leaving the gates behind. The guard Captain watched as they left before turning away to go on about the rest of his duties. Each of the ten warriors took their planned formation in and around the carriage. The day ended not too far from where it began. It must be only a few miles off from where they camped the night before. Just up the road from where they are is a planned campsite for the night. Everyone was ready to not have to travel much for the day and were ready for the rest. Tobias has yet to say a single word to them and remains in his own world.

A few branches snap off to the side of the road and this catches Bertie's attention, he rides on top of the carriage due to his eyesight being the best. He shifts over to get a closer look and notices nothing, he does see that the others are alert as well. Without warning a huge boulder hurls over the trees and strikes the side of the carriage, toppling it over to its side and sending splinters of wood everywhere. Those who traveled on foot were not affected and they drew their weapons as they tried to figure out the situation. Seconds pass as they watch the tree line for any attackers. Ruben and Cherli move from their position when nothing comes. They get to the carriage and begin to peel away the remains of the carriage to get inside. Ruben conjures a vine from the ground that he uses to help him rip apart the wooden exterior.

Darrin, Travie, and Nof create a parameter for those at the carriage to work with, Braiden wandered the area looking for clues about the attackers. On the side of the road he comes across a set of faint tracks belonging to humanoids of some sort. Ruben and the vine pull away the boulder and some exterior pieces to the carriage just enough for Cherli to find both Julia and Tobias who were inside. Both of them are unconscious and pulled away from the carriage by a magical force that Cherli was able to conjure. Judging by the marks on their bodies, Julia was able to protect Tobias from the impact as she sustained the worst part of it.

Movement from the trees caught Kane's attention and he shouted to warn the others. Arrows rained onto the road in a full barrage. Ruben conjured more vines from the ground to protect the group. As the plants are pelted by the barrage, they fall limp as the magic leaves them. Without a moment's hesitation, an Orc warband swiftly charges out from the trees and a clash of flesh and steel erupts on the darkening road. With Ruben looking after Julia and Tobias, Cherli moves to the other side of the carriage looking for Bertie and Lion. Nof is able to defend against the mighty blows of the Orcs with his shield and as he swings his hefty axe around, a rune lights up in the Giant language and ignites the air between him and his foe. Little by little Nof is able to make ground against the Orcs to pull pressure from his allies, but Orc archers line the side of the road and take aim at him. Blocking an incoming barrage of arrows with his shield and then a blow from the Orc in front of him with his axe, he couldn't help but take a few stray arrows to his legs and stomach.

Cherli finds Bertie and attempts to pull him free from the wooden debris, an arrow strikes the back of her shoulder, but she pushes through the pain, something her body has never done before. She gets Bertie freed and she uses her magic to try and wake him up. She stumbles forward as if her body wasn't wanting to respond the correct way, and that is when she realized it. She looked up at the Orcs and took notice of Nof stumbling as he fought. The arrows are poisoned. Bertie came to his senses as Cherli collapsed, not able to fight the poison for much longer. Nof on the other hand was fighting ferociously as his limbs grew ever more numb. Grabbing his bow and quiver full of arrows, Bertie notches two of them and peaks from his cover and each one finds purchase in the neck of an Orc archer. Another arrow strikes Nof and his arms slump down just enough for the Orc that he was dueling to make a heavy slash across his neck. His body falls to the ground as the blood pools.

Bertie saw Lion trying to crawl out from under the debris and he helped him. Lion is bleeding down his face and his arm looked broken, Bertie told him to wait for Ruben as he let another few arrows loose, pelting the Orc archers once more. A few Orcs ran around the carriage and went straight to Bertie. Lion pulled his broken sword away from the debris and stood in the way of the attackers. As he blocked the enemy's attacks, he could feel himself quickly falling behind in the dance of death. A broken arm would typically lead to a swift end of a warrior's life, but Lion fought on. Bertie took every moment as an opportunity and made sure the end of an arrow was deeply embedded into their necks of an Orc.

The flow of the Black Orc arrows slowed and Darrin and Braiden took this as an opportunity to cut down a few of the Orcs that have had them pinned to their spots. A heavy footstep fell and then another before an Ogre plows through the trees at them. The momentum the creature built up kept it from stopping, Ruben made a few gestures with his hands and arms and caused a few more vines to root up from the ground and drag Julia and Tobias away. Bertie grabbed his things and moved away from the debris as the Ogre slammed into it with all his might. More and more Orcs come from the forest and very quickly do the warriors become overwhelmed. These Orcs were highly trained in their clan and were able to match someone like Darrin in his combat maneuvers. It was believed to be Darrin who had called the retreat, but many of the others called at the same time. This was no simple raiding party and rather a full military invasion that they were not prepared for. Ruben covers his hands in the dirt and marks Julia's forehead, her cuts and bruises healed rather quickly and she awoke with a start. Ruben filled her in and he moved away, leaving her to haul Tobias around.

The only way to escape this mess would be to fall back to the opposite side of the road from where the Orcs attacked and to flee further into the forest. Ruben came around the carriage and helped Lion slay the Orcs that attacked him. Bertie was too preoccupied with peppering the Ogre with arrows, each time he notched an arrow and pulled it back an arcane wind would swirl around the arrow and when released, would shoot the arrow like a bullet straight through the thick fat hide of the Ogre. Ruben and Lion made it to the side of the road at the trees and watched as Bertie followed quickly behind them. Julia came charging around the carriage with an unconscious Tobias hung on her shoulder and she ran past without stopping. Breaking their defensive line, the others back away from the Orcs and make their way into the forest. Lion is not able to keep up with the rest and falls behind, jabbing and slicing at the Orcs that chase them. He stops as the others run and bangs his broken sword against his armor, trying everything he can to get the enemy's attention from his friends. He cannot keep up with them and he cannot fight much longer and will only drag them down. Without the use of his other arm, he uses the trees around him to block incoming attacks from his defenseless side. Just as a savage animal fights to the end when backed into a corner, Lion had slain nearly a dozen Orcs himself and gave his party valuable time and space to get away. The Orcs rush him down and pierce their blades through his chest and stomach and Lion falls slack against a tree, his fight coming to an end.

Cries and yelps of victory from the Orcs and the Ogre ring through the dense forest. Night has already fallen now and the moonlight doesn't penetrate the thick trees. The group is running blind through the bush with no inclination of where to go. An hour goes by and things are quiet again. Julia finally put Tobias down and leaned him against a tree. Darrin, Braiden, and Kane watched the area while Travie, Ruben, and Bertie rested. Julia knelt over Tobias and she put her hand over his head and she mouthed words that couldn't be heard by the others. A wind blows the tops of the trees just enough for the moonlight to break through and shine down on Tobias. At first he was weak, but then he jolted with fear.

"W...where am i?" Tobias asked with a squeak.

"No clue! But away from those bastards at least." Braiden says as he paces along the area, keeping an eye into the darkness of night at all times.

"I know you may be weakened, young lord, but we need you to be able to move with us." Julia said as she pulls away from Tobias and rests against her own tree.

"Should we not rest here for the night?" Tobias asked.

Darrin shakes his head, "No, we need to keep moving or another party might come across us".

"But how do you know where we are going?" Tobias asks.

"We follow the road." Darrin points off in a direction. "We were traveling that direction on the road, we just do that now without being near the road. We will just be off by a mile or so, but Westray will be able to be seen." Even Tobias could see Darrin wasn't fully truthful with him, but he didn't fight it.

Tobias seemed a bit more injured than Julia thought. It was another hour before they could move on, and when they did, Julia and Travie had to help him walk and this only slowed their pace. Moving a few miles over the course of a couple hours, they realized they were lost. Darrin was the first to see the light that lit the distance in front of them. It washed away the night with ease which made the group hesitant to move forward. Darrin took Kane with him and they moved forward alone while the rest waited. Sneaking until they came to the edge of a small camp, they came to see a lone man, a horse, and a wagon all positioned around a fire.

Kane steps into the light, "Hail traveler". This grabbed the man's attention as he nodded off a little bit. He spun real fast and grabbed a rather large and bulky sword that seems to be rather aged. Kane chuckles and gestures to reassure the man that he didn't mean any harm. "You won't be dealing many injuries with that blade, friend. My group has been traveling this night and need shelter, would you be so kind as to let us stay with you."

The man says nothing and only stares at Kane before Darrin walks forward. "Sir, our group got ambushed by some Orcs. These forests are no longer safe. If you let us stay, as payment we will watch over you and give our protection". The man only watches them for a few minutes that drags on to be a bit awkward, he nods in agreement to their proposal and settles himself back down by the fire in his own exhaustion. Thanking the man who has already started to nod off, they go back and return with their group. They took turns keeping the fire fed and as the fire died down and the coals burned bright, Julia went to get more wood. The man got up and turned in for the night and made himself comfortable on the back of his wagon. Ruben collected a few rocks and placed them at the edge of camp. Each one carved with a name; Cherli, Nof, and Lion. Their sacrifices will not be forgotten. When Julia came back with some firewood, they would hunker down for the night.

A few more hours go by and the night continues without much light shining from the heavens. Ruben was taking watch as the others rested, he constantly maintained contact with the earth beneath him as he felt for tremors or anything else out of the ordinary. It wasn't anything in the distance that grabbed his attention, but rather within the camp itself. A shuffle from the wagon makes Ruben stand tall to get a better look. The man who slept in the wagon would shift and writhe around as his skin morphed and bubbled. Ruben was beside himself about this and how he could help, but when a head peaked above the sides of the wagon, he could see that where the man laid was in fact an Orc. This Orc wore the same clothes as the man and he tried to sneak off the wagon without drawing attention to himself. Ruben studied this Orc for a few moments and saw markings and tattoos along its body that would mark the Orc as a Shaman, which are Orcs that have some control over the magical winds. A slight tremor, barely perceptual to Ruben, tingles through his senses. A large number of Humanoid bodies are coming this way and Ruben has to act.

"Ambush!" Ruben cries to his sleeping friends. He tried weaving his arms to cast a spell but was too slow as the Shaman had already finished his. A burst of arcane energy slams against Ruben and knocks him away from the camp. A panic sweeps the warriors as they scramble to gather their gear to defend themselves. Bertie made a go for his bow and some arrows but was met with flailing vines and roots that ripped out of the Earth and grabbed hold of him. This was the same kind of magic Ruben utilizes, but Bertie knew it wasn't him. The Shaman spoke in his own tongue which nobody knew and the roots that bound Bertie snapped his bow and scattered his arrows. A vine slowly wrapped around his throat and began to squeeze, blocking his air flow.

Darrin, Kane, and Julia create a defensive formation with a confused Tobias at their center. Braiden rushes forward and with his incredible strength, he is able to pull the vines away from Bertie's body just enough for him to slip away. Around them, a mixture of Orcs and Goblins rush into the camp. Bertie is able to defend himself against the number of enemies around him and he even disarms an Orc and uses the sword as his own. The Shaman weaves a spell together and the sword Bertie holds begins to heat. The blade glows red hot and burns him until he drops it. The Orcs put Bertie on the back foot and an arcane wind spits wisps of flame from the coals of the firepit. Roots rip up from the ground and entangle his feet, an Orc takes this as an opportunity to carve deep into Bertie. Travie comes behind them and starts taking one out at a time. Braiden charges straight into the group of allies and enemies and knocks everyone down.

The Shaman was the master of this field of battle, everyone danced to his tune as the arcane winds blew. Vines encircled Bertie, Braiden, and Travie which trapped them close together with their enemies. The Orcs and Goblins that distract the others are doing their jobs well. The strength of the Orc mixed with the swiftness of the Goblin gives this horde an edge over a small pack of Humans that strayed too far from their cities. With everything their master has planned, it is only a wonder why these Humans came out like they did in so few numbers. The magic flowed and grew large and sharp spikes on the vines as they whipped around. Many of them whirl around and one manages to stab right through Bertie as he struggles with his injuries. The spike was driven from the back of his neck and it was long enough to be driven all the way through. Travie loses his composure as he watches Bertie fall limp to the ground. Orcs were on him quicker than he could react, one slash after the other and it wasn't long before Travie lost his limbs and was scattered to the camp.

Braiden's shouts were the only thing that could be heard over the fighting. His rage went beyond anything he felt before. The Orcs around him couldn't stop him as he broke arms and bashed in skulls. Kane handles the Goblins that swarmed him, he makes his way over to Braiden and keeps the enemies from his rear. A magical force stopped Braiden in his tracks. A vine covered in spikes bashes into him with enough force to stagger him. A spike punctured Braiden's side, but he fought on without feeling the pain. More Goblins swarm Kane and Braiden, and Kane can feel the exhaustion setting in. His movements are slower and less accurate while the Goblins filter in and are ever more agile than the last one he killed. A wound to his arm, a wound to his stomach, Kane fights through it all. He fought worse in the arena back home which is the reason he never stopped fighting.

From outside the camp, Ruben limps back and casts his own spells that are able to negate the Shamans. His own vines attack those that harmed his allies. This relief allowed the group as a whole to solely focus on the Orcs and Goblins. Ruben and the Shaman duel with their magical abilities and send an arcane storm through the forest. Ruben finally lands a blow against the Shaman and staggers him, causing his magic to fail across the field. He takes this moment as an opportunity and he conjures a powerful blast of force that rockets across the field. The Shaman wasn't weak and unleashed a rain of thorns from a branch overhead. Their attacks land against each other at the same time. The Shaman is launched from the wagon and with his neck broken, dies where he lands. The thorns pierce Rubens skin and blood trickles all over. A wave of exhaustion comes over him and he slumps to the ground.

With the Shaman out of the way, the battle wraps up quickly. The group survived this onslaught, but are injured and exhausted. Darrin brings up that he saw some of the Goblins slipped away at the end and will most likely bring more. He doesn't believe they will be back until the following night and they should rest while they can. As he is the least injured, Darrin chooses to take the first watch while the others rest. He ends up taking the watch for the rest of the night because he couldn't sleep and when the first signs of the sunrise showed itself, Darrin went to each and everyone of his comrades to wake them. Everyone woke except for Braiden who passed away in his sleep from his injuries. While the group got ready to leave, Darrin gathered his friends' bodies and placed them together. Bertie, Ruben, Travie, and Braiden will remain here and unfortunately Darrin didn't have the time to give them a final send-off.

The dark of the night recedes with the new day and horns could be heard in the far distance. The warband is coming and will be hunting for them, much earlier than Darrin predicted. They grab what little supplies they could carry and traverse through the forest, hurrying as they go to stay ahead of the pursuing enemies. By noon the horns of the warband stopped and the now dwindled group found themselves encircled by men and women armed with bows trained on them.

One man dressed in furs steps forward, "Name yourself!" Darrin stopped Tobias, Julia pulled her shield up at the rear. Kane was too injured to fight, he attempted to draw his sword and found the pain to be too much.

"My name is Darrin. We come from Westray under orders of the King and we were ambushed by Orcs. There were more of us and we have only fallen over the past night."

The man contemplates for a second. "Whatever happened, you come a long way. You find yourselves in Westray territory again and we are from the Scouting division of the army. We can escort you back to the city". The scouts here were a mix of Hunters and Rangers. The journey back with these people was peaceful for the group and they learned they were stationed out there to keep an eye on the increasing number of Orcs and other creatures, they have only gotten worse in the last couple of months.

The seemingly endless forest comes to an end and reveals the massive walls of Westray in the distance. The Hunters had sent a messenger bird ahead of them to relay that they had injured with them. They weren't in the walls for even five minutes before Kane was taken away to see the Clerics and healers. Another escort would take them from the Hunters to the King's chambers. Captain Alder stood to the side of the chamber while the King and Queen sat at their throne. Darrin, Julia, and Tobias were covered in dirt and blood and didn't look as if they belonged there.

"I'm sorry to hear about your comrades, but I praise you for bringing Tobias here safely. My gratitude extends to both of you and your friend that is being looked at as we speak. Your friends that sacrificed their lives for this will be honored and the Hunters will bring their bodies back. May their souls rest eternally." The King says as he stands, motioning Tobias over to him. Darrin and Julia repeat the sentiment "May their souls rest eternally". King Ramond and Tobias speak quietly before the King gestures to some servants to come and take Tobias away to rest and get cleaned up. Before Tobias left, he looked to his saviors and promised them that if they ever needed something, he and the Grenver family would be happy to honor it.

The meeting with the King and Queen went on for some time. Darrin, Julia, and Kane were to be rewarded handsomely for their efforts and sacrifices. The sealed scroll from the Grenver family is handed over to the King and he gives it a look over before rolling it up again. The King divulges information about a possible invasion from the untamed lands. That many of the creatures and people that live there are becoming organized and are a threat to the civilized world. The question is asked if they would remain in the service of the Drasha Kingdom. Julia and Darrin were quick to accept while Kane needed time. But after encountering death, a Champion never gives up and he too chooses to stay and act with the army of Westray. Tobias was not the only noble to come to Westray, but hundreds of other families came to the aid of the Drasha Kingdom. But this is only the beginning as there is a war on the horizon.