The sun set on Mount Korinda, the crimson sky silhouetting the mountain beautifully. If the stories were true, Arkhosian ruins dotted the mountain. Axiris stopped, looking wistfully at the red peaks. As the troops marched, she followed along slowly, thinking about the task at hand. Five hundred dragonborn, scales glistening in the sunlight, marching to reclaim their lost home. It was a beautiful thought. Axiris was brought out of her silent revelry by a hand on her shoulder. She looked over and saw Akrynn, smirking casually. Being her brother, he looked similar to her. Copper scales, short, thick tendrils almost like hair, sharp frills, and red eyes were shared features.
"Don't slow down too much, sister," he said "You'll miss all the fun." his voice was rough,
like his throat was frayed. He moved on, and Axiris laughed. She sped up. She was supposed to be upfront with the other leaders, but she preferred to march with the troops. Being head paladin, she was supposed to lead them, so why not march alongside them, she thought. As they got closer to the mountain, Axiris payed extra attention to every detail of the area. The ground was sunbaked and cracked, the mountains surprisingly smooth. The mountains seemed to be flattened in some places, as if it was meant for building on. Then, she saw the plumes of smoke.
"The forward scouts let us know there was a small village in the area. We were going to leave it alone, but it seems something happened to them." explained Ballin, head of the dragonborn mages. The Council of Six sat around a map of the area. The dragonborn had taken a break to assess the situation.
"So what are we up against?" Axiris asked. There was no doubt the group would lend the village assistance. It was the right thing to do.
"It could be orcs or goblins, perhaps. They are quite common in this area. Or the villagers
accidentally set their homes on fire," Ekmin, head scout, said, half to himself. "Either way, we should still be open to any possibility. However, a horde of five hundred or so dragonborn might raise suspicion."
"I'll take the paladins." Axiris proclaimed. "Surely, less questions will be asked about twenty dragonborn than five hundred. The main group continues on, and we catch up afterwards."
"So it's settled." Ballin announced. "Nomag Bahamut tiichi wux, thurirl."
"And may he bless you as well, Ballin." Axiris said somberly. With that, she stood up to
gather her paladins.
The paladins reached the village. It had been an hour since they left and the smoke was lessened. Night had almost fully fallen, and Axiris' innate darkvision started to manifest. She looked beside her and saw Akrynn, looking determined as he always looked when on a mission. They saw the charred remains of buildings, and fires still burning. She signaled for the paladins to spread out and search for survivors. Axiris entered the nearest building to her. It was damaged on the exterior, but the interior was still fully intact. It was a generic house. A dead fireplace, plain bed, and shoddily crafted table were the only furnishings. She took a close look at the table. What looked to be a sword stab at the edge was surrounded by blood. It was partially congealed, and it was also puddled on the floor. Axiris walked out of the building.
"Sister?" she heard Akrynn call hesitantly "You need to see this." She headed to the direction of her brother's voice. The paladins were all gathered around a building, weapons drawn. The building was still slightly on fire, but it was safe enough to go inside. Inside was Akrynn, mouth slightly open. Axiris looked around. In a pile against the wall were dozens of corpses, men women and children. Axiris was shocked. Something got the village, and it wasn't just an accidental fire. Suddenly, the sound of an arrow pierced through the air and ended with a thud against wood. A paladin shouted. Axiris drew her mace and left the building.
The paladins charged in the near darkness, weapons drawn. Axiris examined the area, and saw their assailants. Men and women, most human but a few dwarves and tieflings, clad in plate armor, wearing red and black tabards. Emblazoned on the tabard was a circle of barbed chain. There were around three dozen of them, wielding morningstars and maces. There were three archers, and one was holding a banner, with the same barbed chain symbol. The two forces clashed. Axiris figured out how to even the odds slightly.
"Trekis laraeki!" she shouted in draconic. The paladins, almost in unison, activated their breath weapons. Some of them spat a cone of fire. Some launched frost from their mouths. A few spit acid. The majority of them collapsed, either writhing in agony or dead. That left a dozen or so. Axiris charged into the fray, and brought her mace into an archer's head. The battle was in full swing. Weapons hit flesh, the sound of steel hitting steel ringed through the air, screams of pain erupted, people fell to the ground. As soon as it began, it had ended. Axiris slammed her mace into the chest of the banner carrier. He gasped, then collapsed dead at her feet.
Two of the paladins had died. Five of them suffered injuries beyond scrapes and bruises. Four of the paladins handled healing, while the rest handled burials for all the dead. They made makeshift headstones out of the burned buildings and provided burial rites for the fallen paladins. Axiris wandered around the battlefield. The paladin corpses were moved, leaving the unknown enemies. She heard shallow breaths. She knelt down next to the source, an acid burned female tiefling with a morningstar. She was clutching her chest. She looked over and saw Axiris. She started breathing heavier, and struggled to get away, but it didn't work. Axiris put a hand on her shoulder.
"Be still." she whispered. "I will heal you, but in exchange, I would like some information. I hope you are honorable." She channelled the divine power of Bahamut into the tiefling. Her wounds healed, and her breaths became less labored. "Now I need to know. What is your allegiance? What does the symbol mean? Why did you ransack the village?" the tiefling squirmed. She remained silent for a moment. Then, she finally spoke.
"The Iron Circle. We are the Iron Circle. A mercenary group. We seem to be less focussed on mercenary work now though. I don't know why we attacked the village. I was doing what my superiors told me to." the tiefling stammered. Axiris pondered the new information. Iron Circle. She stood up, and extended her hand to the tiefling.
"If you want out of Circle then, come with us. We can give you a second chance." the tiefling lay there for a moment, then reached her hand out to grab Axiris'. She helped her up. "Do you need to bury anyone?" she asked. The tiefling shook her head. Axiris looked to the other paladins. "Paladins! Yth return ekess wer svih!" With that, the paladins left. As Axiris looked to the tiefling, suggesting she take off her tabard, she saw the acid burns had burned away the barbed chain.