Chapter 9: The Village Slavers!
The Twenty-Ninth of Greentide, D.Y. 500
-----From this vantage point, they can see that back to the east the plains extend for a couple of miles and there is no sign of the party being followed. To the north, the land is broken by areas of rough vegetation, valleys and hills. To the south, the land definitely turns more swamp-like and wet.
-----Glancing west, a hill rises a couple of miles off. Its slopes are dotted with the houses of another settlement. Black smoke ascends from some of the dwellings and there looks to be some kind of frenzied activity there.
-----Sol gazes bleakly at the burning buildings. His westerly watch lasts for a only a moment before he says to the group, "I want t'see what's going on there."
-----Cocking his head at the human, Whisper shakes his head. Barring his now twofold task, he had no wish to get embroiled in a senseless diversion within these lands.
-----Keeping his face impassive, the Elf gestures south, and then sits back in his saddle, waiting to see which course his current companions would follow.
-----A few moments pass with little said and done, with Sol's demeanour growing more sour and agitated. His eyes never leave the distant scene as his voice rumbles ominously, before he spurs Thunder forward into a fast trot.
-----"I can't stand by an' let that happen." He declares loudly as horse and rider begin to make their way towards the western hill.
-----"Sol! Wait!" Garrison yells as he notices the warrior's departure. The woodsman had been shielding his eyes to see what he could make of the movement on the distant hill. Now, with a curse, he rides off after the Gorian.
-----"The storm moves once again," Lovan says as he begins riding off after Sol. The three warriors look around to see the others' reactions.
-----Raven smiles a bit as he knew what Sol's action would be. Raven takes off after Sol.
-----"Fools." Aside from that quietly said word, Whisper showed an impassive face, with hooded eyes gazing at the retreating backs.
-----The brutality of war and slaughter was indeed no stranger to the Elf, and a small voice clamoured inside his mind, outraged at the destruction yonder. The sad fact was that not all battles could be fought, and not all wrongs avenged. So, one must chose ones battles carefully, lest one be overwhelmed.
-----This was no task of theirs that he could fathom, and especially not Whispers'. Had the Elf been unwittingly drawn into the conflict within this land by the revelations in the village?
-----After a moment, deft hands reached up and layered his thistledown scarf about the lower half of his face, and then pulled the hood lower, leaving his uncovered eyes hidden in the hoods shadow.
-----Cursing himself for an even greater fool, Whisper spurred his beast onwards at a slightly slower pace. He eyed the approach, and began to wonder on the most concealing approach to the hill.
-----Now the rest of the adventurers began to move after the young Gorian warrior. Across the wide plain they ride, all the time nearing the far hill. The smoke continues to rise amid the small dwellings and hurried activity. Oddly, their advance goes unnoticed for the meantime.
-----By the time that Raven, Garrison, Lovan and Whisper reach the base of the hill, Sol has nearly reached the first of the small dwellings. As they themselves begin the ascent, they can see armed guards in chain mail herding the peasants of this thorp from their small dwellings toward at least five large wagons.
-----The adventurers can then see Sol mounted on Thunder leap onto a path behind a trio of guards on foot driving a cluster of women and children. With a wild whoop from the Gorian, the guards quickly turn, caught totally in surprise by Sol's sudden appearance. Just as they draw their swords, the young warrior quickly swings in, dropping them dead in their tracks. The woman and children pause and for a moment are motionless with uncertainty.
-----A cry goes up among a half dozen guards a few yards from Sol's position as they become aware of him.
-----Sol pressed in with his knees, urging Thunder forward at a run. Towards the six armed men, the raging Gorian surged, his sword poised to sweep through any resistance.
-----Suppressing a sigh, Whisper slid from the leather harness, his knees flexing slightly to absorb the impact of his fall.
-----Even as his feet touched the ground, his hands had already sought the bow on his back, and the arrows at his side. Within moments, he had an arrow nocked, and sent it towards the armsmen facing off against Sol.
-----As Sol rides up, an arrow suddenly takes one of his opponents in the shoulder. The man staggers back suddenly losing his grip on his sword. Just then the second of Whisper's arrows finds the man's neck sending him to the ground dead.