Day 23.1 - The brigands
13 more horsemen appeared out of the woods. Urthek stepped forward and started speaking to their leader. Although none of us could hear their words, the conversation became heated. Suddenly, Urthek shouts "These are my woods, they are my friends!" He drew his sword, and with one swing, beheaded his rival!!!! 4 horses FAINTED!!! The brigands immediately scattered, but Urthek calmly picked up the head and again shouted "These are my woods and they are my friends!" holding the head up for all to see. Not one of Urthek's men moved. Once everyone had scattered, we collected the horses they left behind.
Urthek threw his sword to me, put I dropped it. "Pick it up." His words sent chills deep into my soul. He told us that the band would be back again once they had regrouped and rearmed. It would be up to the five of us to face them when they returned. I wanted to leave, but Urthek insisted that we stand our ground and unify our two groups. He felt they would be back in six hours... close to sunset. Talia and Chupa started practicing with borrowed weapons. The swords just don't feel right to me, so I quietly composed a new poem.
With less than an hour left before sunset, Urthek and his clan began meditating.
As if by prophecy, the brigands returned, all 12 of them. Urthek and his men stopped meditating, but only moved enough so all of them sat facing the upcoming battle. The rest of us stood together, but I didn't know what I could do to support my friends. Sometimes, my friends back on the islands would tell me that my songs and poems would inspire them. I decided I would try to tell my newly composed poem about Urthek and his personal fight against these brigands to inspire my friends and demoralize our foes. Without warning, Gaius screamed:
"Do you come here without fear? I hold the four fires of Hell in my hand!" Sure enough, there were four flaming spheres in his hands. "Let he who is without fear face me!!! Be the first to feel the fires of Hell!" One of the fires flew from his hand and hit a brigand in the chest. A couple of our enemies immediately fled back into the forest. Some seemed uncertain of what to do, and the rest charged at us. "Come forth demon from hell!" Niko, Gaius's monkey jumped onto Gaius's head as another flaming sphere hit someone in the chest. "Your lives are now forfeit!"
I'm not really sure what happened after that. I started reciting the poem I had composed. I heard Talia scream "Nobody makes me bleed my own blood!". I think she also yelled "Bad Chupa!" but I don't know why. Some more horses fainted. Some more men ran away. I was hit in the arm with a crossbow bolt. I know that Raine was also hit with a bolt on more than one occasion. I think one of the brigands begged for his life, but Chupa slew him after Raine was hurt. I guess that's where "Bad Chupa" came from. I think she had a point. Chupa seemed to lose his mind with that sword in his hand. I think I tried to attack someone with a knife after I was hit, but its all a blur to me now. Three of their men were dead. We only had a few moderate injuries... nothing too serious.
We had taken 3 lives that day. That normally would have put us in dire need for Lady Hope's blessings, but I don't think she would visit upon us any longer. I'm sure that Urthek said something positive and supportive of us, but his words were lost on me.
I guided Talia to a secluded spot along the river so that she could wash up. He was hurt worse than the others, but she put her hand on her deepest wounds and a blue light ungulfed the area. Within seconds the wound wasn't so deep and looked like little more than a superficial cut. He clothes were spattered in blood, so I gave her my cloak and she undressed. I tried to turn quickly to give her privacy, but I was surprised by her actions. She didn't seem to care. Perhaps we are more than friends. Perhaps nothing could phaze her right now. She said very little to me.
Chupa and I, along with some of the horsemen, carried the bodies of our enemies deeper in the forest and buried them. It took some time, but it was the right thing to do.
Urthek threw his sword to me, put I dropped it. "Pick it up." His words sent chills deep into my soul. He told us that the band would be back again once they had regrouped and rearmed. It would be up to the five of us to face them when they returned. I wanted to leave, but Urthek insisted that we stand our ground and unify our two groups. He felt they would be back in six hours... close to sunset. Talia and Chupa started practicing with borrowed weapons. The swords just don't feel right to me, so I quietly composed a new poem.
With less than an hour left before sunset, Urthek and his clan began meditating.
As if by prophecy, the brigands returned, all 12 of them. Urthek and his men stopped meditating, but only moved enough so all of them sat facing the upcoming battle. The rest of us stood together, but I didn't know what I could do to support my friends. Sometimes, my friends back on the islands would tell me that my songs and poems would inspire them. I decided I would try to tell my newly composed poem about Urthek and his personal fight against these brigands to inspire my friends and demoralize our foes. Without warning, Gaius screamed:
"Do you come here without fear? I hold the four fires of Hell in my hand!" Sure enough, there were four flaming spheres in his hands. "Let he who is without fear face me!!! Be the first to feel the fires of Hell!" One of the fires flew from his hand and hit a brigand in the chest. A couple of our enemies immediately fled back into the forest. Some seemed uncertain of what to do, and the rest charged at us. "Come forth demon from hell!" Niko, Gaius's monkey jumped onto Gaius's head as another flaming sphere hit someone in the chest. "Your lives are now forfeit!"
I'm not really sure what happened after that. I started reciting the poem I had composed. I heard Talia scream "Nobody makes me bleed my own blood!". I think she also yelled "Bad Chupa!" but I don't know why. Some more horses fainted. Some more men ran away. I was hit in the arm with a crossbow bolt. I know that Raine was also hit with a bolt on more than one occasion. I think one of the brigands begged for his life, but Chupa slew him after Raine was hurt. I guess that's where "Bad Chupa" came from. I think she had a point. Chupa seemed to lose his mind with that sword in his hand. I think I tried to attack someone with a knife after I was hit, but its all a blur to me now. Three of their men were dead. We only had a few moderate injuries... nothing too serious.
We had taken 3 lives that day. That normally would have put us in dire need for Lady Hope's blessings, but I don't think she would visit upon us any longer. I'm sure that Urthek said something positive and supportive of us, but his words were lost on me.
I guided Talia to a secluded spot along the river so that she could wash up. He was hurt worse than the others, but she put her hand on her deepest wounds and a blue light ungulfed the area. Within seconds the wound wasn't so deep and looked like little more than a superficial cut. He clothes were spattered in blood, so I gave her my cloak and she undressed. I tried to turn quickly to give her privacy, but I was surprised by her actions. She didn't seem to care. Perhaps we are more than friends. Perhaps nothing could phaze her right now. She said very little to me.
Chupa and I, along with some of the horsemen, carried the bodies of our enemies deeper in the forest and buried them. It took some time, but it was the right thing to do.
posted by Clint Bodine | 11:46 PM
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