Continuing the adventures of our small newly formed band of The Righteous Vendetta. We rejoin our band in a small clearing within the Ravenwold near the borderlands... Part one can be found HERE.
Before anything else could be said or decided, Elysion looked towards the treeline to the east of the clearing, just as the ravens in the nearby trees all took flight at once, cawing loudly and seemingly angrily.
The Volturian turned towards the sound drawing his blade, and in a calm voice said,"Ambush!".. A horrible cackling echoed around them, seeming to come from several directions at once, as a crossbow bolt fired from the trees, the bolt struck Elysion's chainmail, narrowly deflected by his armor. The elf began to mutter an arcane chant. From the other side of the clearing an iron spear flew out, right at Elysion! but missed the elf by a league. The dwarf 'Grevele' turned to the elf and muttered,"It would seem someone doesn't like you, monsieur?"..Elysion continued with his chant.
A shrill whistle blew through the air, from the direction of where the iron spear had come from. Then out from the brush four freakish beasts rushed out cackling, they looked like a disturbing cross between a large hyena and some sort of predatory bird!
"
Carrion Cacklers!" Yelled Aryon, drawing his sword,
"Don't let them gang up on you!", although with the loud crazed cackling he wasn't sure if he could be heard clearly.
As if understanding the dwarf, one of the cacklers charged straight for him leaping at his throat!
The beast striking true to the unarmored part of the dwarf's neck between helmet and mail. A serious wound, gouts of blood soaked 'Gevele's' tunic, but the stout dwarf still held his ground!
Another of the beasts attacked Aryon, but the veteran warrior's armor easily deflected the beast's bite.
The remaining two carrion cacklers charged Solace, attempting to use pack tactics to swarm the paladin. The first beast couldn't penetrate her armor, but the last one struck true! A vicious bite, but Solace still stood.
Now it was the party's turn! Aryon struck at the cackler he faced, striking true! A mighty blow, which would have slain a natural beast, but these creatures were the results of foul magic. Then the Volturian leapt to assist Solace, again a hit, a blow as fearsome as Aryon's but this beast also still lived! Solace swung her mighty two-handed sword, etched with the markings of her lost order. A strong hit against the cackler that The Volturian had just hit! This was enough to slay the beast, but three still remained and there were clearly other foes still hiding in the trees. Cacklers could not use spear or crossbow! 'Gevele' blood pouring down his neck, a cackler still gnawing at the dwarf's throat, struck with his sword at the beast, but missed, "Zut!"no doubt the loss of blood affecting his aim. Now it was Elysion's turn, He finished his chanting, turned towards two of the cacklers that were close together and unleashed arcane energy. The two cacklers immediately fell to the ground.
This left only one cackler still attacking, the one ripping in to 'Gevele's throat!, the beast unconcerned about its fallen?sleeping? pack members attacked the dwarf again! Again a hit! 'Gevele' went down slumping to the ground! Unconscious, and quickly bleeding out!
Aryon charged the cackler moving in to kill 'Gevele', swinging his sword, a hit! The beast was slain, nearly split in two by the strong blow. Solace raced to 'Grevele's side, kneeling down beside him, unconcerned about her own injuries, she started saying a prayer to her deity, while laying her hands upon his chest. Sweat poured off Solace's brow,'Gevele's injuries were grave, but her faith was strong, though still weak, the dwarf opened his eyes, he would live!! The Volturian charged into the forest in the direction the crossbow bolt had fired from, mere moments ago, so much had happened so quickly. Elysion went to the two sleeping cacklers, dispatching them quickly, they were helpless in their magic induced slumber. He then crept towards the forest, towards the direction the iron spear had come from...
The Volturian charged into the brush, a barely visible aura of blue energy was now surrounding him, he quickly came face to face with a rough looking man in leather armor working to quickly raise the heavy crossbow that he had just reloaded. The arbalest fired the crossbow nearly point blank at The Volturian! It should have hit! It should have torn a whole clean through the lightly armored warrior, but instead the bolt deflected off the blue shimmering shield empowered by the very will of The Volturian! The kineticist responded in kind, a fearsome strike against the crossbow wielding warrior. Striking true! The crossbowman went down, bleeding out in the forest as the ravens cawed overhead.
Elysion found the spot where the other had hidden, the whistler, that controlled the cacklers. Boot prints behind a thick bush marked where he? had watched the battle. Then apparently fled when things turned against him. He reported his findings to Aryon.
To be continued...
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