The Lost Ones 66.

Summer. The Southlands. The Lowlands. The Town Of Falmare.

Grunna the sorcerer leads the way through the lane, followed by Sharnd the merchant and the others.
A couple of people step out of doorways to see what's happening as the sound of another roar comes from nearby.
They pop back inside when they see the sorcerer, merchant and armed mercenaries hurry by.
"Careful" says Brossic the mercenary from where he's behind Sharnd the merchant.
"That troll, or whatever it was, wasn't alone the last two times" adds the lowland mercenary referring to the times previously, in the port town of Gilsom, and up in the Maldin Hills, where they've run into trouble.
As he leads the way, with a ward up infront of him, the sorcerer Grunna nods his head.
Then when they reach the end of the lane, the powerful spellcaster from further down the coast of the Southlands, stops at the corner of a building, and looks out onto the street they've come to.
Both Sharnd and Brossic come up beside the sorcerer, and look out onto the street too.
While behind them, the mercenaries Spranen and Halnard, both from the port town of Gilsom look back down the lane, in the direction they've come from.
The two of them hear fighting that way, towards the small warehouse they were just in, which lies across a courtyard, behind Sharnd's trading shop.
The mercenaries from the coastal town of Gilsom glance at one another, as they hear another roar, followed by an incoherent shout in a language they don't understand.
"Looks okay" quietly says Sharnd the merchant, as they see just a few people on the street. A couple away to their right, heading that way, leading a cart and pony.
While away to their left, a man is carrying a barrel into a shop. There's a stack of the small barrels infront of the shop.
"Looks can be deceiving" quietly says Brossic the mercenary, who then looks at Grunna, and he asks the sorcerer from further down the coast "Anything?".
"Nothing magical" is the quiet reply of Grunna the sorcerer, who is sensing, and doesn't find any spellcasters in the immediate vicinity.
Though the sorcerer is one of the five who have plans to carve out their own nation up in the Maldin Hills, which lie just over twenty miles to the east.
Slightly frowns as he says that, as he feels something nearby, he's just not sure what.
"Which way?" asks Brossic the mercenary as be looks at Sharnd "Right?" adds the lowlander who leads the group of five who have the goal of creating their own nation in the Maldin Hills.
"Right" says the flatland merchant with a nod of his head.
"Let's go then" says Brossic, who briefly pauses as they hear another roar from somewhere behind them, back near the small warehouse they were just in.
"And keep alert" continues the lowland mercenary to the others.
Grunna the sorcerer hurries out onto the street, turning right, followed by the others.
They don't get far, just a few steps, when someone shouts from behind them "Villains!" followed by "Stay your ground!".
The five of them spin around, and see a large heavily armoured knight walk out onto the street, from what appears to be a yard between two of the buildings back that way on the street.
They've encountered this knight before, first up in the Maldin Hills, when they were attacked by a small group of strangers, whilst attacking one of the villages they had targeted in the hill country.
And more recently, in the port town of Gilsom. Where their airship, that belongs to Sharnd. Was in the dock yards for repairs. Where it was destroyed by a fire.
The large knight, standing a couple inches over six foot. In a full suit, of shining heavy plate armour, that gleams in the sunshine of this warm summer's day. Who has a brilliant white cape attached to the roundrels on his armoured shoulder plates.
Comes to a stop, and stands in the middle of the quiet street, here on the east side of Falmare.
Pointing a short blade at them, while he holds a large footman's shield up on his left arm.
Even with the faceplate of his full helm down. And unable to see his face. There's an obvious air of confidence to the knight.
Brossic slightly frowns as he looks at the sigil on the knight's shield and white surcoat which he can see clearly this time, compared to their previous encounters, then he nods and quietly says to the others "Saint Mar-che".
The lowlander who leads the five of them, who in his life of a mercenary, has encountered many a knight, adds "Religious nutters".
Grunna, nods as he too has encountered those from the order of the Knights of Saint Mar-che. Fighting alongside them, and against them in battles and wars.
The sorcerer, who didn't act immediately, because the last time he did in Gilsom, when they ran into the knight, he was knocked out after casting on him.
Looks carefully at the large heavily armoured knight, in particular the short blade he's pointing at them, as well as the large footman's shield he's carrying.
The spellcaster from further south down the coast slightly frowns as he senses again. Not quite sensing anything, but getting a nagging feeling he should be sensing something.
Grunna then senses for something specific, in this instance, magical items. And he immediately senses them.
He's taken by surprise that both the short blade, and the shield the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che has.
Not just because both are magical items, but because of how powerful they are. Especially the large footman's shield. Which without doubt, is the most powerful thing the sorcerer has ever encountered.
So much so, that Grunna has to stop sensing for items, as it's so powerful, that it will overwhelm his senses if he keeps sensing it.
"Fuck me" mutters the sorcerer Grunna who realises what power the knight's shield has.
"What?" hisses Sharnd the merchant.
"I can't cast against him" quietly says the spellcaster from further down the coast of the Southlands, who quickly adds "I'm surprised i didn't die the last time i did up in Gilsom".
As his own blast spell rebounded off the knight's magical shield, and came back and hit him, knocking him unconscious, which would of killed him if hadn't slammed up some wards.
The ward Grunna has up now, would be torn to shreds if he was to cast a similar blast spell at the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che right now.
Who speaks again, in what can only be described as an arrogant, aristocrated sounding voice "Well are you dastardly cowards just going to stand there, or will you pluck up what cowardly courage you have, and attack me?" followed after a brief pause, with "Wot".
Spranen and Halnard glance at one another, when Brossic murmurs to the others "Think we can take him?".
As Sharnd the merchant steps back out of the way, and Spranen and Halnard step forward, the slightly older of the two mercenaries from the port town of Gilsom, Spranen quietly says "I don't know".
While next to him, Halnard the most cautious of the five of them, is of the opinion they shouldn't confront the knight.
Though right now, might be the best time to actually get rid of him once and for all. Especially as he's alone at the moment.
"If we're going to do something, hurry up and do it the hell now" quietly says Halnard the mercenary as they hear another roar from back near the small warehouse where they were previously.
"This might be our best chance" quietly adds Halnard.
"I agree" quietly says Sharnd the merchant from behind the others, where he's willing to run away, just to stay safe incase the others can't deal with the large heavily armoured knight, who just stands there on the street, looking at them.
"Try and hit him with something if you can" Brossic murmurs to Grunna.
"I'll try" quietly says the powerful sorcerer who is from further down the coast of the Southlands.
Then Brossic who leads them, quickly glances at Spranen and Halnard, and slightly nods.
The three of them who have fought together in many a fight and battle, move forward.
While the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che just stands there. Shield raised, while still pointing the short blade at them.
As Brossic, Halnard and Spranen rush forward. Grunna looks at the stack of barrels that a shopkeeper was in the middle of carrying into his shop.
The sorcerer goes to levitate them, and fling them at the large, heavily armoured knight standing in the middle of the street.
When he suddenly senses a spellcaster close by. Infact in the same yard, between the two buildings, that the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che walked from.
"Trap!" shouts Grunna the sorcerer, as he realises that the attack upon their hired mercenaries at the small warehouse, was all to lead them here, to a well orchestrated trap.
The sorcerer who senses that it's a witch close by. Most likely the same witch amongst those they encountered up in the Maldin Hills.
Goes to cast in that direction instead, towards the yard that can just be glimpsed between two buildings.
As he does, something swoops down out of the bright sunny sky, and rakes across the side of his face and head. Avoiding his ward, which is infront of him, and not all around him.
Grunna stumbles sideways and trips, yelping in fright, nearly knocking over Sharnd the merchant. The sorcerer puts up a hand to the side of his face and head. His hand comes away bloody, as he looks quickly up into the sky, trying to spot what struck him.
Meanwhile the mercenaries, Brossic, Spranen and Halnard have rushed the knight. And the three of them, who know how to attack in unison. Strike at the large heavily armoured knight who is just standing there.
Suddenly the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che moves. Much quicker than one would expect for someone so large, and heavily armoured.
Brossic in the middle of swinging his sword, gets the large footman's shield thrust in his face.
Smashing into the front of the lowland mercenary, sending him staggering backwards with a bloody face, and a broken nose.
He knows it's broken, as he's had a broken nose a couple of times in the past. And it hurts like hell, just like it did those two times in the past.
Spranen who fights with a hand and half sword, or bastard sword. Goes to whack the heavily armoured knight. Going for the taller man's head.
He ends up getting kicked in the right knee by one of the knight's steel boots even as he swings his bastard sword towards the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che.
Spranen yells "Fuck!" in pain as he stumbles away, hoping his knee isn't broken from that kick. He grimaces in pain as he puts weight on his right leg.
While Halnard, the most cautious of the five of them who have plans of creating their own nation up in the Maldin Hills. Who heard Grunna's warning that it's a trap.
Waits until the large, heavily armoured knight confronts Brossic and Spranen. And when the two of them stagger and stumble away.
The mercenary from the coastal town of Gilsom acts. Halnard, shoves his shortsword at the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che.
Aiming up at the eye slot in the visor of the knight's full helm.
Unfortunately Halnard gets too close. And the large heavily armoured knight, who is far quicker than one would expect. Just punches out with his right gauntleted hand. The one holding the blade that slightly resembles a shortsword, or a long dagger.
Just the point of the blade touches Halnard, right in the middle of his heavy leather jerkin. It doesn't penetrate it, or cut through the armour. It doesn't have to.
Halnard hears the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che say "Cheerio there chap" just before the mercenary from the port town of Gilsom. Is lifted up off the ground, and goes flying backwards through the air.
Narrowly missing Sharnd the merchant, who yelps "Fuck" as Halnard comes flying backwards a good thirty five to forty feet.
The flatland merchant, whose hometown is here in Falmare. Ducks down as Halnard passes over him. Before the mercenary from the coastal town of Gilsom hits the ground with a very clear, audible groan.
Sharnd who takes Grunna's warning to heart. Helps the sorcerer to stand upright, then shouts "Run!".
As he sees the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che advance on Spranen who is attempting to stagger away, limping as he does so.
The lowland merchant turns and runs down the street, leaving behind Grunna, as well as Spranen and Brossic who are closer to the large heavily armoured knight.
Sharnd runs by Halnard, who though dazed, is trying to get up off the ground, even though it's clear he's more than a little groggy, and doesn't exactly know where he is.
Grunna shakes his head, looks around and sees Sharnd who helped him to stand, running away down the street, while Halnard is on the ground trying to get up.
The sorcerer looks quickly the other way, and sees the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che walking towards Spranen who is stumbling away, who looks like he's having trouble putting weight on his right leg.
While Brossic, with a bloody nose and face, has staggered to his feet, and is stumbling this way.
Grunna looks quickly towards the yard between the two buildings that the knight walked from.
And he frowns as he no longer senses the witch he briefly sensed earlier. The spellcaster from down the coast of the Southlands, goes to cast anyway.
When suddenly, Spranen who is using his bastard sword to help himself walk. Turns as the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che reaches him, and clearly says "Enjoy the trip there fellow".
Spranen comes flying backwards along the street, going by the stumbling Brossic. Almost hitting Grunna who ducks to one side. Before landing on the ground, not far from where Halnard has got to his feet, who is looking around trying to figure out what's just happened to him.
"Fuck this" says Brossic as he stumbles back to where Grunna is as the large, heavily armoured knight walks this way.
"I agree" says the spellcaster from further down the coast of the Southlands, who grabs Brossic by the arm, and teleports.
The sorcerer doesn't teleport very far, just thirty feet or so. To where a confused looking Halnard, who has got to his feet, grimacing in pain. Is looking at the unconscious Spranen who is lying on the ground beside him, wondering how his fellow mercenary from the port town of Gilsom ended up lying in the middle of the street.
"We're out of here" says Grunna the sorcerer who looks back and sees the knight in the order of Saint Mar-che walking with purpose towards them.
The spellcaster then teleports himself, Brossic, Halnard and the unconscious Spranen away. Heading in the direction that Sharnd the merchant took off in . . . . . .