Chapter 4: The Battle Inside the Keep!
The Twenty-Eighth of Greentide, D.Y. 500
-----As early morning begins creeping into the sky, it does so with less light than there had been during the night. Thick clouds now cover the sky that had hours ago been dominated by the ominous glow of the moon.
-----A reddish cast comes over the trees back toward the east and at first those on watch are alarmed with fear of a raging forest fire. On observing the scarlet color for a bit, it is determined that the glow comes not from the forest but from the angry cast to the clouds shielding the early sun.
-----"Red sky in the morning . . ." Garrison says quietly as he stares at the sky over the woods. He then looks westward over the ridge toward the keep. The gray walls still seem dark, but this time they are shadowed by the dreadful clouds.
-----Lovan literally throws himself up from the ground where he slept. He looks skyward with an expression of awe and an ever-widening grin. He then throws his arm wielding his warhammer skyward with a loud cry. "THEY DIE THIS DAY!" He yells toward the clouds. "THIS DAY SEES THE FURY OF THE RAGER!"
-----Garrison growls, "Quiet, you fool!" toward the storm priest, but Lovan is oblivious to it. He quickly scrambles to a position down the ridge offering strange words to the clouds.
-----Rinda watches with wide-eyes and then says, "I best prepare and seek the Great Hunter's favor."
-----Raven looks up to the priest and says, "Can the Fury of the Rager knock a hole in the keep so we'll have a way to storm it?" Raven then looks at the red sky.
-----Sarah awakens from her deep sleep and feels refreshed and ready to help. "Thank you for waiting." She says softly to Raven and Sol as she waits for Lovan's response. "I can attempt to summon some reinforcements if you wish. Or I can wait until we actually attack the castle."
-----"Might as well wait. They'd be good surprise . . . they were certainly a surprise t'me." Sol replies as he once more studies the keep, eyeing it critically in the early morning light.
-----Lovan grasps Raven by the arms and the storm priest's face is alight with fervor as he answers, "Hunter, prepare for your hunt! The Fury of the Rager will tear yonder keep to the ground!"
-----Lovan then shakes his warhammer at Sol and points toward the medallion on the Gorian's chest. "Warrior!" Lovan says, "The wind soon will arise! The clouds hold the lightning! Hold back nothing for this day the storm comes forth!"
-----Lovan then continues his homage to his deity yelling toward the redden sky.
-----Sol returns Lovan's intensity in one look, midway between an angry grimace and a fierce grin. He frees the symbol from beneath his gleaming chainmail, and moves towards Thunder. After giving the stallion a companiable clap on the beast's shoulder, Sol mounts up and draws his blade. His facial expression unchanged, the Stormbringer raises his head to the heavens and calls out a meaningless, exhilarating yell. Eventually, he settles back to watching the keep, as he awaits Lovan's dealings with the Rager to come to term.
-----Sarah pursed her lips and crossed her arms as she suddenly felt very cold. She could feel her bright yellow dress and dark cloak flapping about her slender body...or maybe it was the look on Sol's face...but some combination of the two made the young sorceress shiver.
-----With intense cold eyes Raven snarls, "I'm always ready for the hunt, Lovan. You'll see the Hunter's rage when a path is opened to our prey." Raven seems like a lion studying a distant prey. His mood is intense, but calm. Raven is saving his energy for the kill.
-----For an hour's time, Lovan keeps up his intense shouting and dashing about on the lower hills. By this time, Rinda, Sarah and Caranip have completed their own preparations. Now a constantly growing feeling of excitement and anticipation builds in the air. The clouds become darker amid flashes of light in the churning air and resounding booms of thunder.
-----The tense feeling is also felt in many in the adventurers' party. Curiously, Garrison holds an amazed smile on his face as he watches both the storm priest and the chaos building in the clouds. Pil and Dilton emit curses as they stand over the still wounded Strolum. The three warriors look slightly unnerved.
-----Caranip squeals with delight as she nervously clutches at Sarah's hand.
-----Now in the distance, the flashes of lightning overhead briefly illuminate the keep. No movement is on the walls is seen and the fortified structure seems indifferent to the violent air about it.