The Homecoming 148.

Repercussions...

It's Tovis the war engineer who is the only one in the group who actually sees what happens on the south wall parapet of castle Lé Dic.
Baron Harkonin's former war engineer, who down in the south courtyard of the massive castle, has just helped the trebuchet crew to load a netting of rocks and broken bits of masonry. And seen the load get flung over the battlements at the enemy attacking the south side of the castle.
Spots the encounter between Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, and the enemy knight who he immediately recognised as sir Taevar the Harkonin army commander. On the eastern half of the battlements along the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
The young engineer from the fief across the border to the east. Breathes a sigh of relief when he sees the mercenary ranger in command of the defence of the southern side of castle Lé Dic.
Drop the nobleborn knight from the Harkonin fief, with a thrust to the face with one of his long daggers. Which must of gone through the eyeslot of sir Taevar's helm.
Tovis who sees the enemy army commander drop to a knee up on the parapet of the south wall. Then blinks in surprise as the nobleborn knight suddenly swings a hammer up at the mercenary ranger.
Which catches Riley Hait in the side of the face and head. The ranger Hait who has the lower half of his face covered with black cloth.
Staggers sideways from the force of the blow to his head, and topples off the top of the wall between two merlons, and disappears from view.
Tovis the war engineer briefly pauses in shock. Then he takes off running across the courtyard towards the nearest set of steps that lead up to the battlements along this side of castle Lé Dic.
The young man who until recently was baron Harkonin's war engineer, doesn't even see the Lé Dic soldier up on the parapet, pick up a polearm.
And swing it at sir Taevar who struggles to his feet, holding the hammer he hit Riley Hait with, out in one hand. While blindly groping out with his other gauntleted hand, as if he's trying to find out what's infront of him.
The landed knight who is the commander of the army from the fief across the border to the east. Is whacked in the side of the helm by the polearm swung by the Lé Dic soldier. The same one who made his way along the parapet with the ranger Hait from the otherside of where the south gates are.
Sir Taevar is knocked sideways, and he staggers, and hits the top of the wall, where he too tumbles over the side, between the two merlons that Riley Hait just went between.
Over the south wall of castle Lé Dic, on the moat below it. On one of the rafts that the Harkonin army have been using to ferry men over to the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
Dorc da Orc, Shur Kee the monk and sir Percavelle Lé Dic, all at the same time, happen to be looking up at the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
When they see Riley Hait the mercenary ranger fall from the battlements.
There's stunned silence from the three of them. When moments before, sir Percavelle Lé Dic was shouting out his family's name. And Dorc da Orc was muttering away to himself in his native language at the water surrounding him on the raft.
While Shur Kee the monk had just shouted out, as he let lose another ball of spiritual energy. That's now going sideways across the surface of the water, heading towards a raft with the enemy upon it, further to the left of them, near to where the gates are on this side of the massive castle.
After the body of the ranger Hait hits the water, there's a brief moment of silence, then Dorc da Orc mutters "Sick fucken cunt going for a swims like that" followed by "Why he want to do that for?".
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Shur Kee the monk who are polling the raft towards the south wall of castle Lé Dic, while the large ork crouches in the middle of it.
Glance at one another, then hurriedly start to pole the raft to where the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen is floating in the water.
A moment later, a heavily armoured figure falls from the battlements and hits the moat right next to where the ranger Hait is.
And while the mercenary ranger who was brought up and trained by some of the elven warders of Envadarlen floats face down on the water.
The heavily armoured figure who hit the water next to him, quickly sinks beneath the surface of the water.
"Hurry" is all Shur Kee the monk says as he and the former earl of Lé Dic pole the raft to where Riley Hait is floating in the water.
Dorkindle picks up one of the paddles and flings it away at a nearby raft, hitting some of the enemy upon it. Sending that raft spinning away from where the mercenary ranger floats.
They get their raft close to where the ranger Hait is on the surface of the water, and the short, statured monk uses the long pole to hook the ranger Hait's cloak and pull him closer to the raft.
"Beast bring him aboard" says sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and for once the ork warleader doesn't grumble as he reaches out sideways, and with one hand plucks Riley Hait out of the water and brings him onboard the raft.
Putting the soaked mercenary ranger face down on the raft, the ork weaponsmith sees the bloody head of the ranger Hait, and says "He fine, he just got a headache".
The big burly ork from the southern polar region of the world then rolls the wet mercenary ranger over.
Dorkindle grunts at what he sees, then the large ork says "Second thoughts, he dead". As Riley Hait whose side of his head was smashed in, up on top of the battlements along the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Is missing at least half of his head, as he fell from the top of the south wall. Hitting the wall a couple of times as he fell to the moat, then hit the water.
Both Shur Kee the monk and sir Percavelle Lé Dic are silent as they look at the body of dead mercenary ranger lying on the raft.
Then the acolyte in the order of Bru Li, who isn't one to swear at all, says "Ah shit" in disappointment as he looks at the body of Riley Hait, who as Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, is the short, statured monk's oldest and closest friend within the group.
On the roof of the central keep within castle Lé Dic, Helbe the elven thief looks at the dead dark druid Palvarc, then at Narladene the ground pixie who has just landed upon his shoulder.
The two of them then look at the staff of the dark druid's, which lies just out of reach of an outstretched hand of the dead advisor to baron Harkonin.
"What about that?" asks Narladene the ground pixie with a nod of her tiny head at the staff lying near the dead spellcaster from the Harkonin fief.
Rubbing his chin, Helbe the elven thief murmurs "I'm not sure" the young elven noble then adds "Leave it for now" followed by "We'll deal with it later".
The tiny winged creature nods her head in agreement. For if they try to break open the staff to let the trapped ground pixie within free, they could very well kill it if they're not careful.
The elven magic user turns around, and lifts a hand and waves when he spots Lisell Maera on the north wall parapet looking this way.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury who is in command of the defence of the north wall of castle Lé Dic, waves back. Relieved that the elven princeling survived the encounter with the dark druid Palvarc.
Then the elven masterthief looks sharply at Narladene, who says "Mira". "Where?" asks the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel.
"To the west and south" replies the naturally magical creature who can now sense the mage Reinholt "About twenty to twenty five miles away" adds the ground pixie who continues with "He's on an airship. No it's too small for that, must be a ship's boat".
The elven master assassin turns and looks away to the southwest, and asks the tiny winged creature "Is he with him?".
"I can't tell" is the reply of Narladene who knows the young elven noble is referring to lord Farque, she continues with "I guess he is".
Then the naturally magical creature looks closely at the elven magic user who she's attached to. Who is frowning at something.
"What is it?" asks the ground pixie who originally hails from the Sunreach Mountains.
"Tovis" says a frowning prince Helbenthril Raendril who has spotted the young war engineer over on the parapet of the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home to the Lé Dic family for generations.
The elven master archer who watches baron Harkonin's former war engineer hurrying along that parapet, says "I'm told him to stay off the top of the walls" Helbe the elven thief then adds "I told Riley to make sure".
"Make sure what?" asks Narladene as the elven magic user suddenly falls silent in the middle of what he was saying.
The tiny winged creature then looks along the battlements of the south wall of the massive castle as she sees that's what the elven masterthief is doing.
"What is it?" quietly asks Narladene as she suddenly feels Helbe the elven thief go tense.
The young elven noble who hails from the island principality of Laerel off the west coast of the Southlands is silent for a few moments, then he mutters "Shit".
The highly talented elven magic user then shifts across to the parapet along the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
He appears right infront of Tovis the war engineer, who is rushing towards a section of the wall, where some of the defenders are fighting the enemy who have got up onto the battlements.
"Stay behind me" orders the elven masterthief to the young engineer who he puts a barrier spell around.
All the near breathless Tovis the war engineer says is "Riley" and nods over the otherside of the wall, to the moat below.
Prince Helbenthril Raendril just nods his hooded head, then hurries along the parapet with the young engineer following behind him.
As the young elven noble makes his way along the battlements. One by one, the enemy soldiers in the direction he's heading, who are fighting the beleaguered defenders of castle Lé Dic.
Jump off the parapet to the courtyard below as he controls their minds. Soon nearly a dozen Harkonin soldiers and camp followers jump to their deaths.
And the elven master assassin reaches a wounded Lé Dic soldier who has been wielding a polearm against the enemy.
"Sir" is what the wounded soldier says to the young elven noble, then nods between two of the merlons next to them.
The elven magic user touches the arm of the soldier in lady Linara Lé Dic's army and heals him.
Then Helbe the elven thief looks over the side of the wall between the two merlons, down at the moat below.
The grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel quickly spots the raft that has Dorc da Orc, Shur Kee the monk and sir Percavelle Lé Dic on it.
On the raft with them, is Riley Hait the mercenary ranger who lies next to where the ork warleader is crouching in the middle of the raft.
One look at the ranger Hait and the elven masterthief knows he can't do anything for him, and that he's dead.
Narladene draws in sharp breath at the sight of Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman, even though she doesn't actually breathe.
"Fucking hell" mutters that ground pixie as they look down at the dead body of Riley Hait lying on the raft that the ork weaponsmith, the physical adept and the heavily armoured knight are on.
The elf from the island principality of Laerel slightly nods his hooded head in agreement with the naturally magical creature, then he quickly looks at her as he suddenly thinks of something.
"Go" says prince Helbenthril Raendril in the elven language to the ground pixie upon his right shoulder.
"Where?" asks Narladene "To Mira" is the reply of the elven master assassin who continues with "And lord Farque" he then adds "Tell him Riley is dead".
The tiny winged creature looks down at the body of the dead mercenary, then says "He can't use that body again, he's missing half of his head".
"Doesn't matter" says the young elven noble who then explains "There's plenty more dead here in better shape, one of them will do".
"Right" says the naturally magical creature with a nod of her head, then without saying another word, she takes off, heading down into the castle's south wall, then into the ground beneath it.
As she can fly faster through that, they she can through the air, as she heads to the southwest, where she can sense Mira Reinholt the mage who is onboard an airship's boat just over twenty miles away from castle Lé Dic.
"Who were you talking to?" asks Tovis the war engineer as he looks at the elven magic user who is in charge of the group he has joined.
"No one" replies Helbe the elven thief in the common language.
Baron Harkonin's former war engineer takes another look down at the dead mercenary ranger on one of the rafts down on the moat, then he asks the elven master archer "Now what do we do?".
"Win this battle of course" is the reply of the elven princeling from Laerel who knows that there's a good chance he'll see Zubutai Timaginson again in another body, some time later today or tonight . . . . . .

The Homecoming 147.

A Death...

Along the north wall parapet of castle Lé Dic, Lisell Maera is taking a bit of a break as there aren't that many of the enemy attacking this side of the castle at the moment.
The attractive young woman from the city-state of Brattonbury who is drinking from her water bottle, looking over to the east wall parapet, where the fighting has been continuous throughout the afternoon.
Lisell or Lis as she's commonly referred to by the others in the group. Has spotted Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy in the thick of the fighting along the battlements on the east side of the castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
The teenager, whose mother was a street prostitute and whose father, who she never knew, was a sailor.
Watches now, as the spy Tanith is once again fighting the Harkonin soldiers who have got up onto the parapet of the east wall of castle Lé Dic.
Lisell Maera is just wondering if she should send a couple of archers along the battlements towards the northeast corner tower, so that they can shoot across at the enemy who have gained the top of the east wall.
When one of the two experienced Lé Dic soldiers who have been her seconds here on the north wall parapet, says "Over there".
Lis looks at him as he leans backwards against the next merlon along, and sees where he's pointing to.
The attractive teenager who hails from the western coast of the Southlands, looks at the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
There she spots two figures standing upon the roof of the largest keep in the massive castle. One of whom she instantly recognises as Helbe the elven thief.
And after a few moments, she realises the other is Palvarc the dark druid, who is the advisor to baron Harkonin.
The two spellcasters, one elven from the island principality of Laerel. And the other, human, from the fief across the border to the east.
Stand about sixty feet apart on top of the central keep of castle Lé Dic. The two of them seem to talking about something, as it looks like they're calling out to one another.
Lisell Maera who is leaning back against the merlon behind her. Stands up straighter, and closely watches the confrontation upon the roof of the central keep. Wondering what will happen.
Over on the battlements along the west wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations.
Tamric Drubine who has just sent another soldier with a crossbow. This one from castle Duc de Laér, who journeyed here with lady Marsaé Duc de Laér.
South along the west wall parapet. To help out those shooting at the enemy across on the south wall of the massive castle. Which it has been all day. Is under heavy attack from the enemy army.
The nobleborn teenager from the feudal kingdom of Sarcrin, glances at the archer beside him. Who is leaning back against the merlon they're behind, who nods into the castle and says to young noble who commands the defence of this side of castle Lé Dic "Wonder what those two are doing?".
Tamric Drubine, or Tam as he's more often referred to, by those in the group. Turns around and looks into the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
There on the central keep he sees Helbe the elven thief who has his back to him. While opposite the young elven noble, is baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc who stands towards the eastern end of the roof of the largest keep in the massive castle.
The former heir of castle Drubine in northern Sarcrin watches on with intent as the two spellcasters face one another in the very middle of castle Lé Dic.
Tam knows that basically anything could happen in the confrontation between the two practitioners of magic.
Meanwhile, along the battlements on the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home to the nobleborn Lé Dic family for centuries.
Where the fighting has been the heaviest throughout the day.
Riley Hait the mercenary ranger after letting an arrow fly from his elven made longbow. Helps a pair of castle servants and a soldier in the army of lady Linara Lé Dic. Push an enemy scailing ladder off the face of the wall.
As he and the soldier use a polearm to do so. The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen looks down at the moat below.
On it, away to his left, he spots one of the rafts used by the enemy. It has on it a trio who are definitely not from the Harkonin fief.
The ranger Hait sourly smiles as he sees Dorc da Orc, sir Percavelle Lé Dic and Shur Kee the monk on the raft, making their way across the moat to the south wall of the massive castle.
As usual when there's water involved. The mercenary ranger sees that the large ork is doing as little as possible, as he crouches down in the middle of the raft, leaving the heavily armoured knight and the short, statured monk to pole the raft across the moat.
Then after he and the other three finally push the scailing ladder away. The soldier who gets behind the merlon on the left, has turned around and says to the ranger Hait "Look at that on the central keep".
The mercenary ranger who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who due to circumstances beyond his control, happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Riley Hait.
Turns around and looks into the castle, and as a few burning barrels shot from a catapult down in the south courtyard barely passes overhead.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman looks across to the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
And there he spots Helbe the elven thief towards the western end of the roof. While opposite him on the eastern end of the central keep, stands baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc.
The mercenary ranger who was raised and trained by some of the elven warders of Envadarlen wonders how the elven magic user will fare against the dark druid from the Harkonin fief.
As the elven princeling told him earlier in the day, he'd die if he directly confronted baron Harkonin's advisor.
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson looks away from the two practitioners of magic when he hears the shouts of "Lé Dic!" away to the left along the battlements in response to the shouts of "Harkonin!" from the enemy who have topped the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Over on the east wall parapet of castle Lé Dic, Dalinvardél Tanith the elven spy who has just stabbed a Harkonin soldier in the throat, and shoved him off the top of the wall to the moat below.
Helps a Lé Dic soldier to pick up another soldier from the fief across the border to the east who the spy Tanith has killed, and roll the body off the top of the wall.
Where it crashes down upon one of the enemy rafts on the moat at the base of the east wall of the massive castle.
After doing so, the Harkonin soldier says to the elf from the principality of Alínlae "Look there on the central keep".
The elven spy who once served in one of the more prominent noble houses in his homeland of Alínlae turns and looks across to the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
There he spots Helbe the elven thief on the roof of the largest keep in the massive castle. The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel is facing the dark druid Palvarc, the advisor to baron Harkonin.
Dalinvardél Tanith or Dalin as he's more often referred to by the others in the group, wonders how the elven masterthief will fare against the dark druid from the Harkonin fief.
As he had mentioned he would find it difficult facing baron Harkonin's advisor, and the staff the dark druid uses.
On the four walls of castle Lé Dic. Lisell Maera on the north. Tamric Drubine on the west. Riley Hait on the south. And Dalinvardél Tanith on the east.
All see what happens when prince Helbenthril Raendril and the dark druid Palvarc suddenly attack one another.
For a moment there's a dozen elven magic users in white hooded cloaks leaping forward at the dark druid from the Harkonin fief.
And beam of dark green energy shoots from the staff of baron Harkonin's advisor.
The beam of energy goes through one of the Helbe the elven thief's, and shoots off into the afternoon sky, going over the west wall of castle Lé Dic.
Suddenly they see Palvarc the dark druid grab at his face, then spin around, trying to aim his staff at one of the copies of the young elven noble.
Then the dark druid drops his staff and covers his face with both hands. The copies of Helbe the elven thief disappear, and there's just one of him now standing off to one side of baron Harkonin's advisor who has dropped to his knees upon the roof of the central keep of the massive castle that's been home to the Lé Dic family for generations.
It's not long before they see Palvarc the dark druid topple over onto his side, with a bloody face and throat, while the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel stands a dozen feet away from him, watching him without moving.
Well he's dead, that's for sure, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger dryly thinks to himself after he sees baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc fall over onto his side on the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic while Helbe the elven thief watches on.
The mercenary ranger who is on the south wall battlements of the massive castle, looks at the soldier infront of him as they pass over the main gates on this wall of the castle.
Who looks back at him and says "There's an enemy knight on the parapet".
"Shit" mutters the ranger Hait, who looks around the Lé Dic soldier infront of him. And through the defenders further along the battlements. He spots a heavily armoured knight amongst the enemy who have a foothold along a section of the wall.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman is pretty certain that the enemy nobleman is sir Taevar the Harkonin army commander.
And that he must have some balls to get on the water, and climb to the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic wearing all that heavy armour.
Now the commander of baron Harkonin's army is cutting down any defender who gets in his way. Whether it be a soldier, castle servant or townsfolk. The landed knight from the fief across the border to the east, cuts them down with ease.
The mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen slightly grimaces, then he covers the lower half of his face with the traditional black hordes cloth he wears around his neck.
Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman swings his longbow onto his back. And he draws his two long daggers, as he the soldier infront of him, move forward along the parapet to where the enemy knight is.
There's a soldier a bit further infront of the two of them, who is a bit smarter than anyone else who has come up against the commander of the Harkonin army so far.
For he throws a hammer over the heads of the townsmen infront of him. A hammer that whacks into the heavily armoured left shoulder of the enemy knight.
And though sir Taevar staggers backwards, the landed knight still swings his broadsword, which chops into the side of one of the three townsfolk directly infront of him.
"Here" says the Lé Dic soldier with the ranger Hait, who picks up a polearm off the parapet, and hands it to his fellow soldier who just threw the hammer at the nobleborn knight from the Harkonin fief.
They both hold it as they close in on the commander of the enemy army. Who is leaning against a merlon, while a Harkonin soldier jumps forward, and attacks the other two townsmen.
All three of them go off the back of the parapet when one of the townsfolk is cut down by the enemy soldier's shortsword, tripping over his fellow townsman. Who grabs at the Harkonin soldier. Hauling him off the battlements as he goes to swing his shortsword again. All three of them hit the courtyard over forty feet down with a thud.
The two Lé Dic soldiers with the polearm stab it forward at the heavily armoured knight who is now standing upright and facing them,
Sir Taevar batters it to one side with his heavy broadsword, sending one of the soldiers stumbling into a merlon. And the other who now holds the polearm by himself, swings the long weapon at the commander of the Harkonin army.
The heavily armoured knight ducks under the swinging polearm, and sweeps his broadsword out infront him. Where it whacks into the legs of the Lé Dic soldier with the polearm.
That soldier drops to the parapet screaming in pain, with his left leg chopped off below the knee.
Riley Hait leaps over the downed soldier, and dropkicks sir Taevar in the helm as the enemy knight goes to stand up.
The Harkonin army commander goes stumbling backwards, while the mercenary ranger who has landed upon the parapet. Springs to his feet, and is quickly upon the enemy knight.
The ranger Hait has fought many a heavily armoured opponent before. And he knows they all have a weakness. Their helm, or more precisely, their faceplate and eyeslot, which hampers their vision.
And unless they're extremely quick, like sir Percavelle Lé Dic is. They move far slower than those with lighter armour, such as the hardened leather armour the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen is in.
As sir Taevar staggers to a halt, Riley Hait jabs one of his long daggers at the faceplate of the enemy knight, straight at the eyeslot in the full helm.
Baron Harkonin's army commander gets lucky, and turns his head at the last moment. And the mercenary ranger's long dagger scrapes along the side of knights full helm.
Riley aka Zubutai Timaginson stabs his other long dagger at the inside of the enemy knight's left arm. Where he sees it's chainmail covering the underside of the arm, as the plate doesn't fully enclose the nobleman's arms.
Sir Taevar grunts in pain, and his left arm drops to his side as blood starts running down it.
Then the ranger Hait stabs his first long dagger once again at the front of the Harkonin army commander's full helm. This time it goes in through the eyeslot.
As it does, Riley Hait murmurs in the hordes dialect of the southern tundra, through the traditional black cloth covering his face from the nose down "Fuck your mother".
Sir Taevar drops to a knee screaming, as blood splurts from the faceplate of his full helm.
The nobleman from the fief across the border to the east, who is blinded and has dropped his broadsword.
Gropes around for his weapon, he can't find it, but grabs something else instead as the mercenary ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen steps forward towards him.
Blind, on one knee and about to die, sir Taevar swings up as hard as he can, and the hammer that was thrown at him earlier, which he has managed to blindly pick up.
Completely takes Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman by surprise, smashing into the side of his face and head . . . . . .

The Homecoming 146.

Pressure...

While Helbe the elven thief confronts Palvarc the dark druid upon the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic, where Narladene the ground pixie eventually kills the advisor to baron Harkonin.
The attack upon the south wall of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family, intensifies.
For the simple reason that Dorc da Orc, Shur Kee the monk, and sir Percavelle Lé Dic are behind the Harkonin soldiers and others, who are on this side of the castle.
The large ork, the short, statured monk and the heavily armoured knight are attacking those from the fief across the border to the east, who are yet to get onto the water.
As well as those who are already on the water, trying to get up to the battlements along this side of castle Lé Dic.
They're putting pressure upon those in baron Harkonin's army who are on this side of the massive castle.
Forcing those who aren't already on the moat, onto the water. And those already on the water, up one of the scailing ladders to the parapet along the south side of castle Lé Dic.
One of those who immediately saw the danger posed by the former earl of Lé Dic, the ork creature and the short fellow in the strange clothing, and wearing an even stranger looking hat. Was the Harkonin army commander, sir Taevar.
Who doesn't know it, but with baron Raevar Harkonin captured and hidden away in one of the stables within the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
And with the baron's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc about to meet his fate upon the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
It's he, sir Taevar who is in overall command of those from the fief across the border to the east.
What the Harkonin army commander does know. Is that it's not safe here on the water's edge with the former paladin, the large green creature, and the short fellow in the odd, conical shaped hat running this way.
So he jumps on one of the rafts that has come back to this side of the moat. And with others from the Harkonin fief, starts polling and paddling to the south wall of the massive castle that they're tying to take over.
The landed knight who is the brother inlaw of baron Raevar Harkonin. Who was sending soldiers and camp followers across the moat to the massive wall on this, the southern side of the Lé Dic family's ancestral home.
Now finds himself amongst those hastily making their way to the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Hoping that no one up on the battlements shoots an arrow or bolt at him. Or that something worse comes over the top of the wall to the hit the raft, that has ten others onboard of it at the moment.
And when something fairly large, exactly what, sir Taevar isn't too sure. Hits the water off to their left. Splashing many upon the raft, and sending it rocking from side to side.
The Harkonin army commander isn't exactly sure he and the others are going to last all that long.
Especially him, as he's in a suit of full plate armour. And if he goes into the water, he'll sink to the bottom of the moat fairly quickly.
The nobleman knows that his best chance of survival is to get to the south wall of castle Lé Dic. Then climb one of the scailing ladders to the battlements above.
Where some of the others have had a fair bit of success clearing the defenders off sections of the wall. Until those from the Lé Dic fief rally and push those from the Harkonin fief off the top of the wall.
Sir Taevar knows that if he gets up onto the parapet of the south wall of the massive castle.
He along with those with him, can hold a section of the wall. Allowing for others to gain the top of the wall.
The brother inlaw of baron Harkonin winces behind the faceplate of his full helm. And he looks back when he hears a roar.
And he sees the ork creature at the water's edge, throwing a spear. Which the Harkonin army commander, thankfully sees is going towards those climbing up one of the ladders further away to his left.
The nobleman from the fief across the border to the east, shakes his full helm head when he sees the spear slam into the back of a camp follower halfway up that particular ladder. He falls down, knocking off another climbing below him, and smashing down onto those on the raft that the scailing ladder is on.
Sir Taevar hopes the gods, as he doesn't particularly care about the old ways. Look over him, and keeps him safe as he and those with him. Assault the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations.
The landed knight looks quickly around when he hears someone back on the otherside of the moat, shout something that sounds like "Bru Li spirit!".
He blinks in surprise at what he sees. It's a white ball of what looks like to be a magical energy of some kind. About nine foot wide, coming across the surface of the moat at an angle. In what sir Taevar first thinks is towards the raft he's on.
But it passes behind the raft he's on, and continues on it ways to the right. Where it ends up hitting those upon another of the makeshift rafts being poled towards the base of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
When it hits the raft nothing happens. Not so when it hits the nine or so from the Harkonin fief who are on that raft.
They all go flying off that raft in all directions. Some hitting the south wall of the massive castle at speed.
While others go barreling and skipping across the water. So fast that some go up to forty to fifty feet from where they were on the raft.
One passes over the raft the Harkonin army commander is on. Almost knocking off a couple of the men at the front of the raft sir Taevar is on.
The brother inlaw of baron Raevar Harkonin hopes to the gods one of those glowing white balls of energy doesn't hit him and others on the raft they're on. As he knows that there's nothing to defend against something like that.
The commander of the army from the fief across the border to the east breathes a sigh of relief when he spots sir Percavelle Lé Dic and the two with him. Hurrying along the bank of the moat, towards where an empty raft is floating back near the water's edge.
Though he can't hear them over the noise of the battle. Sir Taevar can clearly see the former paladin is arguing about something with the ork creature running beside him.
The big, burly green creature who the Harkonin army commander clearly sees is at least seven and half foot tall, and must weigh as much as four large adult men.
Is keeping well away from the water as he jogs alongside the heavily armoured ordered knight who was once the earl of the Lé Dic fief.
Sir Taevar looks ahead again, and uses the pole he's holding, to help propell the raft he's on, closer to the south wall of the massive castle.
The nobleman who is married to the younger sister of baron Harkonin, looks ahead, and sees they're headed towards a raft already up against the base of the wall on this side of castle Lé Dic, where a scailing ladder is being held up against the wall.
"Almost there men!" calls out sir Taevar the army commander by way of encouragement "Let's get up that wall, and take this damn castle from them!" adds the landed knight, which illicits some cheers from those on the raft with him, and from others close by on other rafts who hear him.
As a camp follower infront of the Harkonin army commander falls screaming into the water with an enemy arrow in his guts. The raft bumps up against the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the nobleborn Lé Dic family for centuries.
"Across to the other raft, one at a time now" orders the commander of the army from the Harkonin fief "Let the others go up the ladder first" adds the heavily armoured knight, who soon finds himself stepping over to the other raft that has one of the scailing ladders on it.
After a quick glance up to the top of the wall, hoping nothing gets dropped down on top of him, sir Taevar looks back across the moat.
And he spots sir Percavelle Lé Dic and the short fellow wearing the strange looking hat. Wading through the first few feet of water, to the empty raft that's near the bank.
They quickly get onto that particular raft, while the ork creature paces back and forth, gesturing with his hands, while saying something to the other two on the raft near the water's edge.
The Harkonin army commander is pretty certain he's never seen such a look of disgust upon anyone's face before, compared to the one right now on the face of ork creature.
Who is pointing at the raft the other two are on, or the water itself. Sir Taevar isn't too sure.
What is he sure about, is that big, mean looking green creature is definitely not happy about something.
The nobleman from the fief across the border to the east wonders what's got the ork creature so worked up.
Then he looks back to the ladder on the raft he and some of the others are on. When an experienced soldier, who is in charge of those holding the scailing ladder steady, says to the nobleborn knight "Commander you want to go up now?".
After looking back across the moat, where he spots the large green ork creature looking totally outraged, not to mention the look of disgust still plastered on it's face, step into the water, take another step, then step up onto the raft sir Percavelle Lé Dic, and the short fellow wearing the odd conical shaped hat are already on.
He says to the experienced soldier in the baron's army "I'll go up after whoever's next".
The next person to start up the scailing ladder on this raft. Is a young soldier in the baron's army, who is a member of a crew of one of the war machines.
The youngster is fairly nimble, and he's over a third of the way up the ladder behind two others, when sir Taevar puts a foot on the first rung.
Don't fall off and drop into the water Taevar, the Harkonin army commander dryly thinks to himself, as he can't think of a worse way of dying in a battle like this, than falling into the water, and sinking like a stone due to the heavy plate armour he wears.
Trust the damn Lé Dic's to have a such a bloody deep moat, the landed knight sourly thinks to himself as he starts up the scailing ladder, that's on the eastern half of the south wall of the massive castle, to the right of the main gates on this side of the castle.
The brother inlaw of Raevar Harkonin flinches as a crossbow bolt skims across the wall just above his head as he goes up the scailing ladder one rung at a time.
The commander of the army from the fief across the border to the east who hears what must be the ork creature roaring somewhere upon the moat.
Looks up to the top of the wall, where he sees one of those further to the top of the ladder. Jumping up onto the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
And the next moment later he disappears over the top of the wall, and onto the battlements along this side of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Though just a few moments later, that same soldier in baron Harkonin's army comes tumbling off the top of the wall from between the two merlons further to the right.
Sir Taevar watches as the soldier hits the water to the side of the raft he and the others used to reach the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
The commander of the army from the fief across the border to the east, continues up the scailing ladder. Looking up as he does so, where he sees the next person near the top, one of the camp followers, climb up onto the battlements of the massive castle.
The heavily armoured knight who is married to the younger sister of baron Harkonin, hurries up. As above him, the young soldier who went up just before him.
Scampers up the last few rungs of the ladder, and follows the camp follower onto the top of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
The nobleman from the Harkonin fief has one last look down to the moat. Where he spots the raft sir Percavelle Lé Dic, the ork creature and the short fellow wearing the strange, conical shaped hat coming towards this part of the south wall of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations.
Then sir Taevar climbs up a couple more rungs of the scailing ladder, then basically lunges up to the top of the wall, and starts hauling himself up and over.
A pair of hands grab him, and help pull him up and over. The landed knight looks up, and sees it's the camp follower who got up onto the battlements just before the young soldier from the Harkonin fief did.
Who the commander of the army from the fief across the border to the east, sees is busy fighting the enemy with another Harkonin soldier to the left along the parapet.
"Thanks" a near breathless sir Taevar says to the camp follower once he's standing upon the battlements of the south wall of castle Lé Dic.
Then baron Harkonin's brother inlaw draws his broadsword and moves off to the left "Drop down!" orders the nobleborn knight.
The two soldiers from the fief across the border to the east, immediately recognise the voice of their commander, and they duck down.
Sir Taevar swings his heavy broadsword over the two of them, from right to left, cutting down two of the defenders of castle Lé Dic.
Once the two Harkonin soldiers get up, the commander of their army tells them "We have to hold this section of the wall to allow the others to get up".
"Yes sir" say the two in understanding, while behind them, the camp follower helps another person from the Harkonin army up onto the battlements of castle Lé Dic.
"Harkonin!" shouts sir Taevar as more of the defenders on the south wall of the massive castle hurry along the parapet this way, shouting "Lé Dic!".
The Harkonin army commander who as the brother inlaw of the baron, and as far as he knows, the only nobleman from the fief across the border to the east, to get up onto the battlements of castle Lé Dic.
Feels the pressure to succeed and take the south wall, and eventually the castle itself. As he knows there's no going back now. As it's either victory or death from now on . . . . . .

The Homecoming 145.

Magic Battle...

Invisible, whilst standing upon the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
Palvarc the dark druid looks up at a tower on a corner of the keep that his magical staff is pointing to.
The spellcaster who is the advisor to baron Harkonin, narrows his eyelids and waits.
Then he slams up some wards as his staff jerks down in his hands, pointing down at the roof he's standing on.
The dark druid assumes his magical opponent is now upon the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic, as he is.
Baron Harkonin's advisor is correct in his assessment. There is indeed another practitioner of magic on the roof of the largest keep in the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Blurred and shielded as he stands upon the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
Helbe the elven thief looks to where he can sense the dark druid Palvarc. Who is just over sixty feet from him.
Upon the right shoulder of the young elven noble, is the ground pixie who is attached to him, Narladene.
The tiny winged creature is quietly informing him what the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief, who she can clearly see, is doing.
The elven magic user slightly nods his hooded head as he listens to the naturally magical creature whisper to him that baron Harkonin's advisor is more or less pointing his staff at the elven masterthief.
The elven master assassin from the island principality of Laerel grins as he contemplates what he'll do.
Hoping that it will stroke the ego of the dark druid from the fief across the border to the east.
The elven princeling figures it probably will, considering he will give away a slight advantage he has over the spellcaster who serves as the personal advisor to baron Raevar Harkonin.
The dark druid Palvarc's staff keeps fairly steady, continuing to point at where an invisible spellcaster is standing opposite the personal advisor of the head of the Harkonin family.
Then suddenly he blinks in surprise as a figure appears about sixty feet from him, here on the roof of the central keep of the massive castle that's been the home to the Lé Dic family for centuries.
The dark druid immediately recognises the figure on the roof of the central keep. As the spellcaster who he ran into earlier today. In the west of the Lé Dic fief.
And as the figure in the white hooded cloak stands there, looking in this direction.
Palvarc wonders why he made himself visible. Considering the dark druid can't sense what the fellow on the roof of the main keep of castle Lé Dic with him, is up to.
Well, aren't we sure of oneself, Palvarc the dark druid thinks to himself as he looks across the roof to where the other spellcaster stands.
The advisor to baron Harkonin sees that whoever it is, they're elven. As he's just able to make out the sharp features of their face.
So he knows that his opponent here on the top of the central keep of castle Lé Dic, is probably way older than him, and more than likely way more experienced than him magically.
That doesn't mean they're more powerful than i am, the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east thinks to himself, who then wonders why the other spellcaster is just standing there, looking in his direction. He gets his answer just a few moments later.
"Show yourself druid" calls out Helbe the elven thief in the common language, the elven magic user then adds "I know you're there, so no use hiding".
Baron Harkonin's advisor who can't even sense the elven spellcaster standing about sixty feet from him, who he can clearly see now, and who his staff is pointing at.
Waits a moment as he contemplates what the figure in the white hooded cloak just said.
Then realising he might have more of an advantage if he drops a spell, which is obviously ineffective since the elf knows he's here. The dark druid from the Harkonin fief becomes visible, strengthening his wards as he does so.
Seeing baron Harkonin's advisor become visible. The young elven noble from the principality of Laerel slightly nods his head, and glances at Narladene who is on his right shoulder.
The grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel wonders if the staff the dark druid has, that's pointing this way. Is pointing at him, or it's actually pointing at the ground pixie who is attached to him.
The elven princeling has a sneaking suspicion that it's actually pointing at Narladene now. As he figures that the captured pixie within the magical staff, sees her as the greater threat. Which is infact correct.
The elven master assassin wonders if baron Harkonin's advisor knows this. He rather doubts it. As any spellcaster who uses a magical item like that staff, that has a naturally magical creature held prisoner in it.
Is only concerned about themselves and the obvious threats they see against them.
After dropping his invisibility spell, Palvarc the dark druid, whose staff is pointing at the elf in the white hooded cloak across on the west side of the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
Is silent for a few moments, then he calls out "Where's the baron?".
"He's around somewhere" is the reply of prince Helbenthril Raendril who briefly pauses before adding "Don't worry, he's still alive" the elven masterthief continues with "Unlike those poor villagers in the west of the fief you killed earlier today".
Palvarc slightly smiles at that, the memory of the quick sacrifices he made in the underground druid's circle in the west of the Lé Dic fief before midday.
Though the dark druid isn't completely sure the elf is telling the truth about the baron. He sees no reason why he would lie about something like that.
"So why have you kept him alive?" calls out the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east.
"So his enemies, the lady Linara and sir Percavelle Lé Dic can put him to death" is the reply from the young elven noble who knows exactly what he's going to do "After they defeat his army of course" adds the elven magic user.
Glancing away to his left towards the south wall parapet of castle Lé Dic. Palvarc sees the defenders of the massive castle fighting the baron's men upon the battlements.
Then the dark druid, who is part of a conspiracy to spread the old ways throughout the kingdom of Druvic, making not just the druidic way, but the dark druids beliefs popular again throughout the kingdom.
Lifts an eyebrow, then calls out "That's not very likely to happen" Palvarc continues with "There's less and less Lé Dic soldiers upon the battlements as the day wears on. My baron's men are gaining sections of the south and east walls at ease now" the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief then adds "It won't be long before there's too many of them on the battlements, and in the castle. That the Lé Dic army, will have to surrender or face being wiped out".
"That's what you think" calls out the elven princeling from the island of Laerel, that lies far away to the south, off the west coast of the Southlands, the elven magic user then silently adds, but what are you actually thinking of now?
The young elven noble, who like all elves, dislikes druids, and their form of worship and beliefs. Knows that baron Harkonin's advisor already knows that he's casting. As his staff is warning him that he is.
After all the elven magic user's shield spell, that doesn't allow to him to be sensed, is up at the moment. So are his wards, both protection and barrier spells.
But the elven master archer wonders if baron Harkonin's advisor knows the specific spells the elven princeling is casting. He rather doubts it, as the pixie captured within the dark druid's magical staff wouldn't be able to tell him.
It probably just gives him a feeling through the staff of someone else casting that's a threat to Palvarc. So one more spell cast by the elven magic user won't be much of a difference, or if any at all.
Helbe the elven thief reads the mind of Palvarc the dark druid as the two of them stand upon the roof of the central keep of the massive castle that's been the home to the nobleborn Lé Dic family for generations.
Nope, I'm not going to do that, nor am i going to do that, i won't do that either, or that too, the elven masterthief thinks to himself as he reads the mind of the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east.
Ah so that's why you didn't attack the castle yourself, prince Helbenthril Raendril thinks to himself, the highly talented elven spellcaster then sourly adds, because your stupid fucking auguries told you that the baron's attack upon the castle would fail if you did.
Slightly shaking his hooded head in disgust at that, the young elven noble who is the grandson of Prince Raendril of Laerel, murmurs in the elven language to Narladene "Get ready".
The ground pixie who is on the right shoulder of the elven master assassin she's attached to, and who is invisible to the dark druid on the eastern side of the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic.
Nods her tiny head that's she ready. As the two of them have already spoken about what they'll do when the elven princeling would confront baron Harkonin's advisor when they returned to castle Lé Dic.
The elven magic user sourly smiles as the dark druid strengthens his wards. In particular his protection spell, so that the young elven noble is no longer able to penetrate them and read his mind.
Palvarc who got a brief warning from his staff, usually to do with spellcasting. Which the elven magic user is already doing. Increased the strength of his barrier and protection spells.
Then calls out to the tall, lean figure standing on the west side of the roof of the central keep "You might as well hand the baron back".
"No that's alright, I'm pretty sure he deserves to be executed" calls back the elven master archer as he waits for the dark druid to act.
"Well it's your death then" loudly says the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east.
"Well about that" calls out prince Helbenthril Raendril, who continues with "If i die, you'll never find the baron. I'm pretty certain he'll be long dead before he's found".
That might be a possibility, Palvarc thinks to himself, who then silently adds, but i'll find out where he is before i kill you.
The advisor to baron Raevar Harkonin then calls out to the elven spellcaster "Think what you like, but that's never going to happen".
"Like you attacking this castle right?" says the nobleborn elf from the principality of Laerel, who then adds "It's never going to happen".
How does he know that? the dark druid thinks to himself, who after briefly pausing, silently adds, probably guessed most likely, since i haven't actually attacked the castle at all.
The spellcaster from the Harkonin fief slightly steps forward, and keeping his staff leveled and pointing directly at the elven magic user on the western side of roof of the main keep of castle Lé Dic.
He then calls out "Last chance, tell me where the baron is" followed by "If not, you'll die".
Let's see about that then, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself, whose power of foresight earlier this morning, told him that he would die if he directly confronted baron Harkonin's advisor.
It's why he hasn't done it today at all. Instead having Shur Kee the monk earlier in the day directly confront the dark druid.
And he doesn't plan on doing it now, here on top of the roof of the central keep, here in the middle of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
The highly talented elven magic user waits. And he doesn't have to wait long after baron Harkonin's advisor takes a step forward.
For Narladene the ground pixie quickly whispers to him "Now".
The young elven noble who is the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel. Magically leaps forward towards the dark druid Palvarc, who an instant later activates his magical staff.
A beam of dark green energy shoots from the point of the staff at the leaping elven master assassin. Who in mid air, magically turns into a dozen of himself, all leaping towards the advisor to baron Harkonin.
Palvarc's eyes open wide in surprise as his target turns from one to a dozen. As he could never imagine any spellcaster could make that many lifelike illusions of themselves
The beam shot from the end of his staff goes through one of elven spellcasters, and continues on into the sky to the west.
Then suddenly his staff jerks upright and back in his hands. Almost whacking him in the face. As if it's trying to point directly at him.
That indeed, is exactly what it's trying to do.
The dark druid cries out in pain as there's suddenly an awful searing feeling of pain in his left eye.
He lets go of his staff with one hand, and goes to clutch at his left eye with the other.
After pulling her tiny sword out of the left eye of baron Harkonin's advisor. A rather devilish looking grin appears on the beautiful looking face of Narladene the ground pixie.
Who sees the elven magic user she's attached to, land about thirty feet to the right of where the dark druid is staggering back, groaning in pain.
The elven princeling was the fifth figure in that direction. He keeps the other greater illusions he's created up.
So that the disoriented spellcaster from the Harkonin fief, who is now blind in one eye. Spins around trying to figure out which of the elves in the white hooded cloaks is the real one.
While his staff is still upright, pointing to where Narladene, the real threat to him, is hovering near his head.
With your eye suddenly blind, and you're in a lot of pain. You kind of don't think that clearly.
And as his magical staff continues to point upright at the ground pixie that's invisible to him.
He hauls it down, points it at another of the elven magics users in the white hooded cloaks. And shoots off a beam of dark green energy at it.
The tiny winged creature, who like all of her kind. Is immune to spells easily passes through the wards of Palvarc the dark druid again. And once again she stabs her sword, which though is small. Just a two and half inches or so in length, is incredibly sharp.
"Aaaahhhh!" screams Palvarc in pain as he drops his staff, and grabs at his right eye now. The advisor to baron Harkonin who is now completely blind.
Goes to grab at his belt, where he has a healing potion. He yelps in pain, as something awfully sharp goes into that hand.
Then the dark druid, who still has his wits enough to keep his wards up. Hears the elf away to his right, say to him "You might as well give up, because this is not going to end well for you if you keep trying".
"Damn you" mutters Palvarc, who goes to cast a spell in the direction he hears the elven magic user. Even though it's a struggle for him to cast more than two spells at once. Not to mention he's now blind.
The spellcaster from the Harkonin fief doesn't even get the chance to cast. As he suddenly feels pain in his already blinded right eye. Then across his face, down to his mouth, which feels like it's been sliced open as his mouth fills with blood.
Then he howls in pain, as something is jabbed into his left ear.
His left eardrum bursts, and he drops to his knees, with blood running down his face, and out of one ear.
The advisor to baron Harkonin tries to clutch for his staff that he dropped. But he moans in pain as something stabs him in the left hand.
Helbe the elven thief looks at the dark druid kneeling upon the roof of the central keep of castle Lé Dic, with a bloody and ruined face.
The elven magic user looks at the grinning ground pixie hovering next to the head of baron Harkonin's advisor and quietly says in elven to her "Finish it".
Palvarc the dark druid suddenly hears a distinctly female voice say into his right ear, his good ear "This is for that staff, and who you've got trapped in there".
Narladene the ground pixie then stabs her tiny sword into the throat of the badly disfigured, and blinded dark druid.
With her being so small, just four inches in length and not particularly strong. Even with her extremely sharp sword. It takes her a while to slit open the throat of Palvarc the dark druid, and kill him . . . . . .

The Homecoming 144.

Chaos Ensues...

One moment baron Raevar Harkonin finds himself standing beside sir Haleníc at the western edge of their camp. The next moment he finds himself further in the camp, near where the road is, and those tents that are on fire.
The nobleman who rules the fief across the border to the east, who is pretty sure that someone is holding his right arm. Blinks as the next moment he finds himself to the east of his army's camp.
The head of the Harkonin family looks to his right to see who it is that's holding his arm.
Then all of a sudden he finds himself somewhere else. The baron blinks in surprise again as he finds himself on top of one of the corner towers of castle Lé Dic.
Then Raevar Harkonin hears an unfamiliar voice say "Well you wanted in the castle, so here you are".
Before the baron can say anything, he finds himself blacking out as he falls into unconsciousness.
"Where!" demands Palvarc the dark druid as he stands at the western edge of the Harkonin camp.
The spellcaster who is the advisor to baron Harkonin is glaring at his staff, which turns in his hands, and points further into the camp.
The dark druid Palvarc is just about to teleport towards the middle of the camp that's been set up on the tourney field to the south of castle Lé Dic.
When his magical staff slightly jerks in his hand, still pointing east, but apparently further away from the middle of the camp, a part of which is well on fire.
Just then, beside the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east. Sir Haleníc says to the dark druid "Ah Palvarc, what's that?".
Baron Harkonin's advisor scowls once more, this time because the young knight referred to him by his name.
The dark druid looks at the nobleborn teenager, who is pointing away to something within the camp.
Palvarc slightly frowns as he looks to where sir Haleníc points, then seeing what it is, the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief mutters "Shit" followed loudly by "Move!" to the young knight and the others with them.
The dark druid runs to one side, then teleports away. Getting clear of the ball of strange white energy that's coming in this direction through the rows of tents.
"Wait" says Narladene the ground pixie, who then adds "The other way now, to the east".
Shur Kee the monk who stands upon the road that's to the south of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
Spins around and faces to the east. As he does, he spots Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic running up onto the road to join him.
The short, statured monk from the far eastern coast of the kingdom. Glances at Narladene who is hovering next to his head. He looks to where she points. And he sees the dark druid Palvarc appear on the open ground to the east of the road.
"Bru Li spirit!" shouts Shur Kee the monk as he thrusts his cupped hands out infront of him, forming a ball, nearly nine foot wide, of spiritual energy, that takes off towards the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief who has just appeared.
Palvarc turns around and looks towards the road that's now behind him.
"Damn it" mutters the dark druid as he sees who is upon the road, and sees what's coming towards him.
Baron Harkonin's advisor sees sir Percavelle Lé Dic and the ork creature join the short fellow wearing the strange looking hat, who is upon the road.
Then as the point of his staff points to the southeast corner of castle Lé Dic, then a moment later, further to the east of the massive castle.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east, casts a teleportation spell once more.
Again to get clear of another of the strange looking balls of white energy that's just a couple of feet off the ground, as it comes hurtling towards him from the road that's to the south of castle Lé Dic.
Dorc da Orc grunts in disappointment as the dark druid Palvarc disappears.
"Doth the purveyor of the dark arts cowardly run away like all his kind" states sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he and the ork warleader stand to either side of the short statured monk.
As Dorkindle sniffs to try and locate baron Harkonin's advisor. Shur Kee the monk asks Narladene the ground pixie "Where has he fled to?".
"After Helbe" replies the tiny winged creature as she hovers beside the physical adept who hails from the kingdom of Wah Lee, which is on the far eastern coast of the continent.
And before the former earl of Lé Dic can ask the naturally magical creature where the elven princeling is.
She tells the three of them "He's in the castle" she briefly pauses before continuing with "No, he's now to the east" Narladene briefly pauses once again, then she adds "Nope, he's back in the castle" the ground pixie pauses once more, before saying "Now he's to the north of the castle" a massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for generations.
Dorc da Orc grunts, then sourly says "We fucken get it, he moving around lots".
"Pray tell, why is that?" asks the heavily armoured knight who is a member of the order of Saint Mar-che.
"Because he has taken the baron prisoner" is the reply from the ground pixie who then disappears from sight.
After the former paladin and the ork weaponsmith quickly share a look. Sir Percavelle Lé Dic, hoping that the invisible tiny winged creature is still in the vicinity.
Asks "Does that poor excuse of a despot Raevar Harkonin still live?".
"He does" is the reply of the naturally magical creature who has the ability, to allow herself to be seen by only those she wants to see her.
Only other naturally magical creatures, the undead, and animals can see her all the time.
"Do you think his highness" says the nobleborn knight, who is interrupted by Dorc da Orc saying "She gone".
The ork weaponsmith from the very bottom of the world who has lost the scent of the tiny winged creature, as she has gone underground.
Waves in the direction of the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family, and he adds "She fucken gone thataway".
As the former paladin shakes his full helmed head in disappointment at both baron Harkonin and the dark druid Palvarc getting away. Even though Helbe the elven thief has captured the head of the Harkonin family, and has him with him.
Shur Kee the monk after looking around, says "What shall we do now?".
The son of the former matriarch of the wolf tribe of orks after glancing around, gestures back towards castle Lé Dic, and the number of enemy on the moat, and others assaulting the south wall of the massive castle.
"Fucken heaps of them Harky cunts there" says the big, burly ork who is sweating profusely in the afternoon sunshine "Plenty for us to kill" adds the warleader of the ork race, who then sets off for the moat across the open ground on this side of the road.
Then after Shur Kee and sir Percavelle Lé Dic glance at one another, the two of them follow after the large ork who is making his way back to castle Lé Dic.
Up on the battlements of the south wall of the massive castle, Riley Hait the mercenary ranger, who is above the south gates of castle Lé Dic.
Who has just let an arrow fly from his elven made longbow. Here's a quiet, familiar and definitely female voice say to him in the elven language "Helbe has taken the baron prisoner".
The human ranger from the elven principality of Envadarlen grin when he hears that, then Riley Hait the mercenary ranger quietly asks in elven "Where?".
"Around" is the reply in the same language before she moves away, heading to where she can sense the elven magic user she is attached to.
After asking the ground pixie something else, and getting no reply.
The ranger Hait nods his head, when one of the nearby Lé Dic soldiers points across to the otherside of the moat.
There to the east of the road on the southern side of the massive castle. The mercenary ranger who is really a hordes outrider from the southern tundra by the name of Zubutai Timaginson, who just happens to find himself inhabiting the body of Riley Hait.
Spots Dorc da Orc, Shur Kee the monk and sir Percavelle Lé Dic crossing the open ground on that side of the road. Heading towards the moat, and the enemy who are assaulting the south side of castle Lé Dic.
Well, i guess something finally is going our way, Riley aka Zubutai the barbarian hordesman thinks to himself, who takes another arrow from his quiver, and puts it to his elven made longbow, and shouts "Lé Dic!" by way of encouragement to the defenders along the battlements.
He's answered by a ragged chorus of "Lé Dic!" from soldiers, castle servants and townsfolk who are on the parapet defending this side of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
The dark druid Palvarc is invisible once again. As he stands near the moat on the east side of castle Lé Dic.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east, knows that he's been led on a wild goose chase, by the practitioner of magic who has taken baron Harkonin.
Since the dark druid can't sense the other spellcaster, he has to rely on his staff to locate whoever it is that's taken the head of the Harkonin family.
The advisor to baron Harkonin sighs in frustration as the tip of his staff points away to the south, then a few moments later, point right at castle Lé Dic.
You can't do this all day whoever you are, Palvarc the dark druid angrily thinks to himself, the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief, who knows he'll be a hunted man if he lets the baron die.
After all he's not the only noble in the kingdom of Druvic whose allegiance lies with those who follow the old ways. And if one of them were to die, the others would seek retribution upon the person, or persons who allowed one of their number to die.
Even though Palvarc is a dark druid and a practitioner of the old ways himself. It's those of the nobility who are followers of the druidic ways, who have the power and influence. Who allow people like Palvarc to flourish. Especially here in the east of the kingdom.
Besides if the head of the Harkonin family was to die. Palvarc would lose his benefactor. Not to mention his foothold in the stronghold of the Harkonin fief.
For the baron's son and heir, doesn't particularly care for his father's advisor. Palvarc knows he would lose his place of influence if Raevar Harkonin was to die, and his son become the baron of their family's fief.
The spellcaster from the Harkonin fief who would like nothing better than to blast a hole into the side of castle Lé Dic. But is unable to, as the auguries he cast before the attack upon the Lé Dic fief, showed him that the baron would lose if he, Palvarc directly attacked the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family,
Teleports to the top of the northeast corner tower of the castle when his staff points at castle Lé Dic for some time, and doesn't move from it.
His auguries from the human sacrifices he undertook back in the Harkonin fief warned him from attacking the massive castle itself.
But they didn't show him anything about attacking the defenders of castle Lé Dic.
So the invisible spellcaster shoves one of the soldiers off the top of the northeast corner tower.
And cracks another one across the head. The third and final archer upon the top of the tower backs away as he wonders what's going on.
The dark druid thrusts his magical staff into the guts of the Lé Dic soldier.
Then pushes him off the top of the tower. To fall to the courtyard below.
Palvarc finds it extremely satisfying using physical force to get rid of those three soldiers, more so than if he was to of used magic upon them.
Then the invisible spellcaster goes to slowly point his staff around in a complete circle, and it stops fairly quickly.
The advisor to baron Harkonin looks to where it's pointing. And he slightly frowns as it's pointing directly at the central keep of the massive castle.
Baron Harkonin's advisor waits for a while, and when his magical staff still points at the central keep of castle Lé Dic, he teleports over to it.
Now you probably shouldn't of done that, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself as he looks to where he can sense the dark druid Palvarc.
The young elven noble who has secured the unconscious baron Harkonin in the loft of one of the stables in the west of castle Lé Dic.
Is up one of the towers of the central keep of the massive castle, looking down at the roof of the largest keep within the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
The blurred and shielded elven magic user glances at Narladene the ground pixie who appears on his right shoulder.
Who points down at the roof of the central keep itself, and quietly tells him "He's there".
Prince Helbenthril Raendril nods his hooded head as that's where he senses the invisible dark druid.
Then the tiny winged creature who is standing upon his right shoulder, who can clearly see baron Harkonin's advisor, and what he's doing.
Quietly tells the elven master assassin she's attached to "He's moving his staff around trying to locate you". The naturally magical creature briefly pauses, then says "It's pointing up here at you now".
Right, here we go then, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself with a nod of his hooded head.
Then as Narladene grabs a hold of his shoulder, the young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel shifts away to directly confront the invisible dark druid who is the advisor to baron Harkonin . . . . . .

The Homecoming 143.

Into The Battle...

They appear a couple of miles to the southwest of castle Lé Dic. And Helbe the elven thief nods his hooded head when Narladene the ground pixie says to him in the elven language "He's in that camp of their's".
"Seems things are a little busy there" murmurs Helbe the elven thief as he looks at the massive castle in the distance.
He then switches to the common language and says to Shur Kee the monk "He's in their camp" the young elven noble briefly pauses before continuing with "Which seems to be on fire".
Narladene who has just briefly dropped down to the ground, then made her way back up onto the right shoulder of the elven princeling she's attached to, dryly says "Stinky is in that camp" followed by "Percy too".
"Well we know how it caught on fire then" dryly says the elven magic user, who then tells the short, statured monk "If you see him, attack him".
"I will friend Helbe" says Shur Kee the monk as they look towards the battle for castle Lé Dic in the distance.
It's taken them a fair bit of time to return to the massive castle that's the ancestral home of the Lé Dic family.
For the simple reason the young elven noble, since he doesn't know how to create a rift spell that goes a considerable amount of distance.
Had to teleport and shift them back to castle Lé Dic, from the west of the fief where they encountered baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid, Palvarc.
"How fares the battle?" asks the acolyte in the order of Bru Li who can't clearly see what's happening along the battlements of the massive castle, as it's a bit too faraway for him to see at the moment.
"Busy" is the reply of the grandson of the ruling prince of Laerel who is paying attention to the enemy camp, more than he is to the actual battle along the walls of castle Lé Dic.
"He's casting" quietly says prince Helbenthril Raendril in elven to the ground pixie standing upon his right shoulder, as he can sense the dark druid within the enemy camp, that's on the tourney field to the south of the massive castle that's been the home of the Lé Dic family for centuries.
"Percy has just used his sword on him" says the tiny winged creature who is originally from the Sunreach Mountains.
The young elven noble from the island principality of Laerel nods his hooded head as he senses the wards baron Harkonin's advisor has up, rapidly depleting.
Then the elven masterthief looks quickly to where Narladene points, as she says "There, on the edge of camp" followed by "On this side" the naturally magical creature then adds "It's the baron".
The highly talented elven spellcaster spots the group of people at the western edge of the Harkonin camp. And he sees that one of them is the baron himself.
Taking care of him might be better than dealing with the druid, Helbe the elven thief thinks to himself, who is just about to teleport him and Shur Kee towards the western edge of the camp, the Harkonin army have set up on the tourney field to the south of castle Lé Dic. When he senses the dark druid Palvarc casting again.
The elven master archer looks up into the sky a couple of moments after the ground pixie on his right shoulder has done the same thing.
And in the afternoon sky, they spot the advisor to baron Harkonin, levitating about a thousand feet above the ground.
"Shur Kee there he is" says the elven princeling as he points out the enemy spellcaster up in the mid afternoon sky.
Then the elven magic user blurs himself and the physical adept. And he shifts the two of them away. Towards castle Lé Dic and the battle taking place there. More precisely towards the camp of the Harkonin army, that's on the field where the local tournaments are held here in the Lé Dic fief.
They shift closer to the enemy camp, the elven masterthief has to shift them again when Narladene informs him that the dark druid Palvarc is going to use his staff on them.
The baron it is then, prince Helbenthril Raendril thinks to himself after shifting them closer to the road south of castle Lé Dic, and south of the camp that the Harkonin army has set up on the tourney field.
Or maybe both? silently adds the young elven noble from the principality of Laerel who after quickly glancing at the physical adept beside him, tells the acolyte in the order of Bru Li "Shur Kee while you confront the druid, I'll take care of the baron".
The short, statured monk who hails from the far eastern coast of the continent, basically the otherside of the world. Nods his head in understanding, and is slightly relieved when the elven magic user adds "Narladene stay with Shur Kee".
The elven masterthief then tells the ground pixie something in the elven language that the physical adept can't understated.
Then in common, the elven master assassin asks the monk from the far eastern kingdom of Wah Lee "Ready?".
"I am" is the reply of Shur Kee, which he justs get out before the elven spellcaster shifts him away, with Narladene clinging onto the odd shaped conical hat of the short statured monk.
The elven magic user who is watching the dark druid in the afternoon sky, who has turned this way and is waiting for him to do something.
Faintly smiles, then the blurred and shielded elven masterthief shifts away, heading towards the western side of the enemy camp, that has fire spreading through it.
Up in the mid afternoon sky, Palvarc the dark druid murmurs "Where now?" as he points his staff, in the general direction of south and west.
The advisor to baron Harkonin after glancing down into the camp below, where he spots sir Percavelle Lé Dic and the ork creature.
Feels his staff turn and point directly south, onto the road to the south of the field where the Harkonin army has it's camp.
The staff points there for a little while, and the dark druid is just about to cast there. When all of a sudden, it points into the camp. Twice, one after the other. First to the south of where the fire is. Then to the western edge of the field.
Seeing and sensing no one, to where the staff points first. But figuring there's someone there, who is invisible.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east, looks to the western edge of the camp.
And there along that side of the field, the dark druid spots baron Harkonin, and the others with the head of the Harkonin family.
"Shit" mutters Palvarc who realises he's dealing with two people who are opposing him. Likely to be the two who he confronted earlier today in the west of the Lé Dic fief.
Who he fled from as he had no luck whatsoever against them.
The advisor to baron Harkonin bitterly smiles, and knows no matter what, he has to keep the baron safe at all costs.
The dark druid goes to teleport down to the baron, to whisk him away to safety. When he spots something out of the corner of his left eye, down in the camp, at the southern end of it, near the road.
"Once you do your er, um thing" says Narladene to Shur Kee "You won't be invisible anymore" adds the naturally magical creature.
"I know this" says the acolyte in the philosophical order of Bru Li, who knows that any magic is nullified by his unique power once he unleashes it.
The tiny winged creature hops off the short statured monks hat and flies away, as he take half a step forward, slightly turns his body, and looks up through the smoke that drifts by, to where he can see the figure in the mid afternoon sky above the Harkonin camp.
Shur Kee reaches up and briefly clutches the jade pendant he wears on a fine silver chain around his neck.
It's glowing green when he lets go of it. Then with his hands down by his side again, he thrusts them up at the figure floating up in sky above the enemy camp, as he shouts "Bru Li spirit!".
Further into the camp, Dorc da Orc who along with sir Percavelle Lé Dic is looking up at the figure of Palvarc the dark druid in the sky above them, and is grumbling about how they're going to get at the advisor to baron Harkonin. Suddenly grunts as he catches wind of something.
"What is it beast?" asks sir Percavelle Lé Dic who notices the large ork turn to the south, and look that way through the camp.
"The tree fucker and the little monkey are here" is the reply of Dorc da Orc who then sourly adds in a mutter "And that lil' fucken bee".
Behind the faceplate of his full helm, the former earl of Lé Dic frowns as he wonders who the ork warleader is referring to. Then the heavily armoured knight realises the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, means Helbe the elven thief and Shur Kee the monk.
"Hmmm maybe his highness can get that despot druid down here, so that we can give him a good old fashioned drubbing, wot" muses the former paladin as he looks back up into the sky above them, where the advisor to baron Harkonin is floating.
Then the two of them, hear the familiar voice of Shur Kee the monk somewhere to the south of them, shout "Bru Li spirit!".
Even the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che is able to hear the shout of the physical adept. True, it's a little faint to his ears. But he can still hear it. As he figures the short, statured monk must be in the southern part of the enemy camp.
Shur Kee the monk becomes visible on the road after the near nine foot wide ball of strange, white spiritual energy forms infront of him.
Then shoots up into the sky, going through some of the smoke that's drifting across the road infront of the monk who has become the living conduit of the Jade Warrior, Bru Li.
"You two, this way now!" says Narladene the ground pixie who suddenly appears infront of Dorc da Orc and sir Percavelle Lé Dic.
Brandishing her tiny, but extremely sharp sword, which she waves away to the south.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che blinks in surprise, as he has only even seen the tiny winged creature a handful of times at most, in the few years he's been in the group.
While Dorkindle, who caught wind of the ground pixie approaching them, sourly smiles as he looks at the naturally magical creature.
Then just as the large ork is about to tell Narladene to fuck off, the tiny winged creature tells him and the former earl of Lé Dic "Hurry, you're to protect Shur Kee from that druid".
Then stabbing her tiny sword in their direction, the ground pixie adds "Now move!".
After glancing at one another, the nobleborn knight and the warleader of the ork race head south through the camp, following after the tiny winged creature who is flying infront of them.
As they run, they both spot the white ball of strange looking energy shooting up above, and then behind them into the afternoon sky, presumably heading towards where the dark druid Palvarc is.
"Shit" mutters the advisor to baron Harkonin when he sees what's coming up towards him from the south of the camp below.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east, grimaces as he doesn't particularly want to face that again after the failure earlier today in the west of the Lé Dic fief.
Then the dark druid goes to teleport away, to get away from the ball of strange looking white energy coming up towards him, that after his experiences earlier in the day, he knows he can't counter magically.
He goes to teleport down to where baron Harkonin is on the western edge of the camp.
"That's Palvarc alright" says sir Haleníc as they look up into the sky "Must be trying to locate that idiot Percavelle and that big, bloody green thing" muses baron Harkonin as they look up into the afternoon sky above the camp of the baron's army.
The young knight sir Haleníc is just about say something to those with them, when he changes his mind, and instead says "He's just disappeared" as the baron's advisor vanishes from the afternoon sky above the camp.
Almost instantaneously, baron Harkonin vanishes too. Much to the surprise of sir Haleníc and the others.
A moment later, and the dark druid Palvarc appears next to them, and after frowning as he looks around, Palvarc asks "Where's the baron?" . . . . . .

The Homecoming 142.

Camp Battle...

The dark druid Palvarc pauses and looks away to his left, and after seeing nothing that way between the tents, he continues on.
The spellcaster from the Harkonin fief, who at this moment is invisible thanks to a spell he's cast upon himself.
Once again senses in the direction he's slowly walking towards. The advisor to baron Harkonin nods his head. As he senses, not one, but two magical items in the way he's going.
Both belonging to sir Percavelle Lé Dic. One of which, a shield. The dark druid is now extremely cautious of, after what happened earlier in the afternoon.
When one of the spells shot from his staff. Came back at him, faster and more powerful, after it struck the shield that the former earl of Lé Dic has.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east. Who has only just regained consciousness after being knocked out by his own spell that came back and hit him.
Glances at his staff after putting the tip of it to the ground. It just gives him a general warning in relation to who else is here in the camp from castle Lé Dic.
The large green creature that's apparently an ork. Who Palvarc thought he had killed, when he hit it with a spell that knocked it off the battlements of castle Lé Dic.
Wherever the creature is, it must not be moving. As his staff can usually pick up the movement of people who aren't spellcasters.
Baron Harkonin's advisor knows that the ground pixie who is entombed within the gnarled top of his staff. Is limited in it's capabilities compared to others of it's kind.
The spellcaster from the Harkonin fief, suspects the ground pixie if it was whole and free. Would probably locate the ork creature, even if it is completely still. Which apparently the one with sir Percavelle Lé Dic seems to be.
There you are Lé Dic, Palvarc the dark druid thinks to himself as he looks towards a couple of tents just a dozen yards away.
The advisor to baron Harkonin, who can see flames further away to his right, where tents closer to the road, are on fire.
Senses the magical items in the possession of the former earl of Lé Dic, just up ahead behind one of the two tents.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east, takes a few cautious steps forward. And though he's invisible, he plans to be careful when he deals with the uncle of lady Linara Lé Dic.
After all, the nobleborn knight has that magical shield with him. And Palvarc doesn't want his own spell to rebound again, and hit him like last time.
Once was enough. And after what he faced earlier in the day out in the west of the Lé Dic fief.
He doesn't want things to go askew for him again. Especially against those who aren't spellcasters.
The dark druid takes another step forward, and lifts his staff, pointing it at the tent he knows the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che is behind.
Baron Harkonin's advisor steps forward once more, and as he goes to use the power of his magical staff.
He suddenly smells the most putrid and fetid smell imaginable. The dark druid almost gags as it reeks so much.
Then all of sudden, something slams into the side of the barrier spell he has up around himself.
It hits so hard, the invisible spellcaster almost stumbles to the side. He looks quickly to his left, at the tent beside him. Just as something large and green, swings a rather sizeable axe at him.
The dark druid does stumble this time as his barrier spell is battered. Palvarc knows he can't take too many more hits like that, or his barrier spell will fail.
The spellcaster from the very south of the Harkonin fief. Who is only really comfortable casting two spells at once. It's why he uses his staff when he does something destructive.
Turns completely to his left, lifting the point of his staff in that direction as he does so.
And as he does, something rather large, and very green. Not to mention extremely smelly. Barrels into him at speed.
Palvarc, even with his barrier spell he has up around himself. Is knocked off his feet. And he hits the ground.
The dark druid instantly recognises that it's the ork creature that's attacking him.
Which he finds astonishing, is that it knows to repeatedly hit a magical barrier to get rid of it. Which it's doing to great effect. As baron Harkonin's advisor feels his spell quickly depleting.
"Get some!" growls Dorc da Orc as he jumps upon the invisible spellcaster on the ground. The large ork, who has fought practitioners of magic many times in his past.
Knows exactly what to do against them if they've got wards up around themselves.
The ork warleader who feels the indivisible spellcaster beneath him. Slams his head down at him, while smashing his axe into the side of the invisible dark druid who he's on top of.
Dorkindle who out of the corner of his left eye, spots sir Percavelle Lé Dic hurrying around from the two tents the heavily armoured knight was crouching behind.
Drives his forehead down at the invisible spellcaster who is beneath him.
Then all of a sudden, something whacks into the chest of the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world.
Then he finds himself tumbling upwards, and backwards through the air. The large ork goes straight up nearly thirty feet into the air.
And he goes backwards almost as far, before he clips one of the tents here in this part of the Harkonin camp. And he smashes into the ground with a thud.
The ork weaponsmith lies there for a moment, then he groans as he tries to move. The warleader of the ork race is rather thankful for the plate of dark, almost black natural dragon armour that he wears over his chest, and much of his rather ample belly.
He's also thankful for hitting the soft ground of the tourney field. Compared to the cobblestone courtyard he fell onto after being flung from the south wall parapet of castle Lé Dic just a little earlier this afternoon. It's like falling onto a soft down pillow.
Palvarc the dark druid takes a deep breath, and goes to sit up. When all of a sudden, the invisible spellcaster hears something to his right.
The advisor to baron Harkonin goes to look that way, when he suddenly finds himself going tumbling across the ground at speed. He goes nearly forty feet, and crashes through a tent, before he finally comes to a stop.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east groans, as he drops his invisibility spell. And recasts his barrier spell which fell apart as he went tumbling through the tent.
"Got that evil doer" murmurs sir Percavelle Lé Dic as he stands there looking in the direction he's sure he hit with the sword of knockdown, baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc.
The heavily armoured knight who saw Dorc da Orc on the ground battering away at something invisible beneath him. Knew the large ork was on top of the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief.
And after the ork warleader went flying backwards away through the air. The former earl of Lé Dic ran forward and hit where he thought the invisible dark druid was lying on the ground.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che looks quickly away to his right, and amongst a crumpled tent, he sees the big, burly ork from the southern polar region of the world, sitting up, shaking his head.
Then the nobleborn knight, with his magical shield held out infront of him. Moves forward, to where he sent the invisible spellcaster tumbling across the ground.
The former paladin who walks in a crouch, so that the footman's shield obscures him as much as possible. Pops his helmed head over the rim of the shield of Saint Mar-che.
And looks at the tent that crumpled after he struck baron Harkonin's advisor.
The ordered knight narrows his eyelids as he spots movement beyond the downed tent. It's the dark druid Palvarc, who is rolling over, trying to get to his feet.
The spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east, winces as he rolls onto his stomach, and pushes himself up, and stumbles to his feet.
He looks back in the direction he came from, and pauses as he sees who it is that's stalking this way.
That fucking raving lunatic! Palvarc thinks to himself as he sees sir Percavelle Lé Dic walking this way.
The dark druid, who no longer invisible, eyes the shield the former earl of Lé Dic is holding out infront of himself, then at the small sword he's holding low to one side.
Both of which are magical, both of which, baron Harkonin's advisor is very wary of.
Palvarc who is bruised and battered knows not to attack the heavily armoured knight directly. For whatever he'll cast at the ordered knight, will come back at him faster, and more powerful than he casts it.
So the dark druid, who still holds his staff in hand. Slams the point of it into the ground infront of him, and unleashes some of the power it contains.
The ground splits infront of the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief. It goes out from him in a line, that widens as it goes towards the approaching nobleborn knight.
"Narille!" yelps the former paladin, who takes a quick couple of steps to his left, and jumps as the ground opens up beneath him.
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic, or Percy as he's more commonly referred to by the rest of the group. Barely jumps clear of the ten foot wide, and over six foot deep cleft in the ground. That goes well over a hundred feet from where the dark druid stands, back to near the healers tent, that's well and truly on fire.
The knight in the order of Saint Mar-che who has jumped to the side of a tent that's partially collapsed as the earth was ripped apart.
Crouches and goes still. Keeping his magical shield out infront of himself, pointed in the direction he knows where baron Harkonin's advisor is.
Did i get him or not? Palvarc the dark druid thinks to himself, as he didn't see sir Percavelle fall into the ground where it's been ripped open.
He can still sense the magical shield of the former earl of Lé Dic, as well as the magical sword he has. Both are close to one another, but neither are moving.
"Hmmm" murmurs the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east, who then murmurs "Now what about that other one" as he goes to look away to his left. When all of a sudden he hears a heavy tread, or step coming this way.
He's in the act of turning to his left, when he hears a shout, in a loud, and deep growling voice, say what he thinks is "Get some!".
And an unbelievable stench fills his nostrils, just before something smashes into his barrier spell he has up around himself.
He stumbles sideways, and falls to the ground with a frightened yelp of "Fuck!".
Sir Percavelle Lé Dic is up and moving when he hears Dorc da Orc shout "Get some!". The former paladin runs around the partially collapsed tent. And runs to where he sees the large ork on top of the dark druid Palvarc. Smashing away at the wards baron Harkonin's advisor has up around himself.
The knight in the order of Saint Late
Mar-che has to leap over the trench in the ground to get to where they are.
And where the ripped up ground is slightly narrower, the heavily armoured knight leaps over it. And runs to where Dorc da Orc is smashing his head down at the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east.
Palvarc has never experienced such a frenzied attack before. The ork creature is repeatedly slamming his head down at the dark druid, who is pinned beneath it's weight.
Baron Harkonin's advisor who feels his barrier spell rapidly weakening beneath the continued attack of the ork creature.
Turns his head to one side, for though his wards is protecting him at the moment. It can't do anything for the assault upon his sense of smell. As the big, burly ork on top of him, reeks beyond belief. Palvarc can't believe something could smell so bad.
As he turns his head, the dark druid spots the heavily armoured figure of sir Percavelle Lé Dic running this way.
Fuck! Palvarc thinks to himself as he knows that he's in trouble if he doesn't do something, and something fast too.
Clutching his staff to himself, the spellcaster from the Harkonin fief looks beyond the ork creature on top of him, and looks up into the afternoon sky. The next moment as his barrier spell gets weaker and weaker, he disappears.
Dorc da Orc grunts "Cunt" as he drops onto the ground as the dark druid disappears from beneath him.
"Where is he?" demands sir Percavelle Lé Dic who comes to a stop as the ork warleader gets up off the ground.
The ork weaponsmith sniffs a few times, then he looks up into the afternoon sky, and points "There's the fucken cunt".
The former paladin looks up into the clear sky above the enemy camp, and spots the figure of baron Harkonin's advisor, the dark druid Palvarc in the distance in the sky.
"Foul villain" mutters the former earl of Lé Dic as he and the warleader of the ork race look up at the spellcaster who is levitating about a thousand feet up in the sky.
As he floats in the afternoon sky, Palvarc looks down at the army camp below. The dark druid who has spotted baron Harkonin and those with him, at the western edge of the field where the camp is.
Also sees the two who have just attacked him near the middle of the camp. A large part of which, near the road, is now on fire.
The advisor to baron Harkonin looks down at sir Percavelle Lé Dic and the ork creature, who seem to be looking up at him.
Palvarc grins as he points the tip of his staff down at them. He's not going to make the same mistake again. He's not going to attack them directly, or at close range.
From a distance is the best way to deal to them, the spellcaster from the fief across the border to the east thinks to himself.
Who goes to unleash some of the power contained within his staff. When it suddenly gives him the feeling of a warning. A magical warning at that. Coming quickly from the west.
In mid air, the dark druid quickly looks in that direction, trying to see and sense, what his staff has warned him of . . . . . .