Chapter Ten: The Niben Valley
Angrond continued along the bridge - Half a mile it must have been - until a fort came into view. The fog made it hard to see but he noticed it was built in the Alessian style. Many ruined watchtowers surrounded it and the fort itself was crumbling with age. A small fire was lit outside it and two men wearing heavy armour sat beside it. Angrond moved closer. The sun was sinking and he would need to set up camp before dark. He drew his bow as one of them stood up and walked out of the ring of firelight. The ranger nocked an arrow and let fly. It punctured the man's rusty iron armour and he fell to the ground, clutching his chest.
Next he moved up
behind the second man. He was whistling and didn't hear Angrond sneak
up behind. The man had a dagger strapped to his girdle next to a
small bag of gold. Angrond had no dagger, as his silver one was
holding a necromancer to the wall at Roxey Inn. The ranger took a
coin from the bag and threw it at a rock, making a loud 'Ping!' The
man turned around and gave a shout.
"Hey! Korrick, cut it
out, you're giving me the shivers, what with these necromancers
roaming around!" Angrond quickly pulled the dagger from the belt
and stuck it in the man's neck. He held his hand over his mouth so he
couldn't warn any other bandits or creatures of his presence.
Angrond stamped the fire out and laid his bedroll out beside the ashes, hoping for an uneventful night.
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He woke early the next morning to the sound of hooves clopping on the road beside him. He grabbed his longsword and leapt to his feet, only to discover that it was a legionnaire on patrol. The soldier didn't notice him and continued along the road, going North-East across the bridge. Angrond packed away his bedroll and other gear and ate some crab meat to give him energy for the long day ahead. He walked westward for about a mile until he came upon a bridge. It crossed the mouth of a small river before it entered Lake Rumare. Before he was halfway across, a bandit emerged from underneath the bridge, shouting warnings for Angrond not to cross. Angrond paid no heed and continued on; recalling the last time someone had tried to stop him on a bridge.
She was a redguard, a young one at that, about the same age as the ranger himself. Her eyes were struck with fear when Angrond approached her. She slowly stepped backwards, unaware of the stone behind her. She tripped and landed on her back. Her mace landed a few inches away and as she reached her hand out to retrieve it, the ranger's muddy boot stepped on her arm. Strangely enough, he didn't kill her. He continued along the path; not even glancing back as she scrambled to her feet. This ranger had more serious matters on his hands than killing a young redguard.
He travelled another half mile until he came upon a crossroads. An old signpost was on the intersection and the names of many towns were written on it. Angrond followed the road leading west, the one going to Skingrad, Kvatch and eventually to Anvil on the Gold Coast; from there he would find a ship leading to Lorendava and the home of Rothvor Throser, Necromancer King.