Chapter 8: Storming the Keep!
D.Y. 500, The twenty-ninth day of Springtide.
-----Cool temperatures greet the adventurers as they leave the temple in the light of the new morning. The sun shines in through a few clouds and the dew covered leaves in the trees. Hardly a wind whispers through the forest, bringing almost an unnerving silence to the village.
-----The Justice Priest Zan sends the party off with well wishes and a somewhat good breakfast to start their day. The priest then turns his attention again to the prisoners in the cellar, who await a troop from Sir Hampton’s keep to retrieve them.
-----The night’s rest proved to be good, giving Raven and Sol an additional chance to heal and mend their wounds. The others, for the most part, seemed to be uncharacteristically quiet, perhaps dwelling on the tragedy of the past day.
-----Now the party rides away to the south with Sol leading on Thunder. The young warrior’s surcoat, though since receiving an attempt at cleaning, still sports a faded reminder of the spider monsters. Albert flies ahead just above the treeline occasionally sending his cawing call back to the riders. The Dread Pirate’s pony, earlier chomping at the bit in its mouth, troths and spits as it charges along.
-----After riding a mile through small shrub vegetation, the forest thins out and reveals a barren hill that the riders charge up. On its other side, the adventurers plunge back into trees and soon come upon a peaceful looking lake. Here the party takes a break beside the water while gaining their bearings.
-----After the better part of an hour, the riders mount up and ride farther to the south. For many miles, they pass nothing but trees as the forest seems to thicken. At one point, their way is detoured by a field of rough vegetable too unyielding to take the horses into.
-----Finally, as mid-morning arrives, the riders come in sight of a small wooden cottage. Though rustic in nature, the dwelling has a charming look about it with a light green roof and shutters on the windows to match. A small well stands off to one side and a pile of wood is neatly stacked against two oak trees. Curiously, there appears to be no sign of anyone.
-----Sol sweeps his gaze around the area, before advising somewhat redundantly, "Keep an eye out. Th' last time we came across a lone dwelling like this, it was inhabited by followers of th' Dark. In case th' owner's around and just a local, do we need to ask for clearer directions? Or have we got enough to get us t'the lair...Raven?"
-----"Yeah, I remember that cabin." Sarah says very dourly, and somewhat angrily. "Poor Gabe." Sarah sighs and looks around once more. "All right, my turn to be the scout," She says.
-----Before anyone can stop her, Sarah dismounts from Marlexana and gives her reins to Sol. The young sorceress then walks towards the cabin. As she does, her form shifts, growing younger and more muscular. After the transformation is complete, there is no longer Sarah the magess, but a dark-haired peasant girl who appears to be about twelve years old.
-----The girl runs up to the cabin and bangs on the door furiously yelling, "Help! Help! My brothers were caught by ogres and they're headed this way! Help!"
-----Sol had no voiced problems with Sarah checking the place out. He was even used to the spell cast and the effect it had on her. What Sol was not ready for, was the particular method of discovering if the place was occupied. The only reaction he does offer is his jaw dropping slightly, and his right hand half raised, as if to stop Sarah.
-----Raven leans back in his saddle and says, "Yep, the cheese has slid off her cracker this time but good." Raven sighs and readies his bow. Raven scowls and says, "This should be fun..."
-----The Dread Pirate blinks in consternation at Sarah's method of investigating the house, "Ummm, do we even be knowin if there be evil folk in there? If there be good folk in there, they won't trust us after this. Maybe ye could just look in the window? I've often found that to be a good way to investigate a house." The Dread Pirate continues muttering under his breath.
-----Seth watches as Sarah transforms and is amazed at the change. He is thinking of ways in which that spell would be useful at home. When Sarah yells to the house, Seth's jaw drops and he whispers to anyone within earshot, "Seems like Sarah is not beyond a telling of a few tall stories." He readies his sling, just in case. "Umm, who is Gabe?"
-----Sol sighs and replies to the Pirate, "Dread, fer once I'm glad t'say, you an' I are in total accord. Still, it's th' way she chose t'play it. If the owners are good folk, then we'll make it up to them. Evil...well, the measure we take doesn't matter."
-----Time seems to pass by slowly as everyone awaits a response of some kind from the cottage. The still air hangs quietly all around as if nature itself were holding a breath.
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