After a few hours the trio left the road that was surrounded by farmsteads, fields and small cottages, and they then followed a small dirt track into the forest. After Muashi's last comment, there had been no communication accept grunts from the samurai complaining gruffly about his leg.
"We should move into the forest, find a good supply of water and set up camp" said Kerith"I aint going in there" grumbled Muashi
"Your leg is buggered up God dammit, you're useless if you can't stand", snapped Kerith
"Kerith is right we need to set up a secure camp site so your leg can heal Muashi", added Arma.
Muashi grumbled some words under his breath then the companions walked off the track and into the gradually darkening forest. The group made their way deep into the forest. After an hour or so Arma reported she could hear water up ahead. The group's moral shot up. Until…
"Shhh. I hear something up ahead; keep on your guard", Whispered Arma.
The group froze on the spot, silence…. Suddenly a mass of black fur charged through the forest ripping the under growth apart as it charged toward the group. Kerith and Arma's instinct kicked in, they half climbed, half jumped straight up the nearest tree, forgetting poor Muashi. The bear gored the unfortunate samurai hard against a tree. The branches shook under the tremendous force of impact. Trapped and desperate Muashi began pounding the bear repeatedly on the snout; it worked, the bear backed off and let out a horrifying roar. Kerith's eyes widened in fear. Arma drew her bow, her hands shaking as she notched an arrow. Muashi seized the opportune break in combat to push himself gingerly to his feet, putting his hand on his Katana once upright.
The Bear rushed suddenly forward, Arma quickly let loose an arrow but her aim was completely askew and the arrow flew off into the forest. Muashi let out a war cry and went to draw his sword, but bear collided with man, the beast sunk its fang-like canines deep into Muashi's already maimed leg.
The warrior let out a blood-curdling scream as the bear lifted him up and threw him in to a bush over twenty feet away. The crunch of bone cracking can just be heard over the screams of Muashi. Arma shook her head, leapt down from her vantage point and drew another arrow and fired it at the bear, the arrows drove deep in to its back. The ferocious animal turned and faced Arma, then charged. The agile elf launched itself backward, notching another arrow in midair and fired it at the last second. The arrow imbedded in to the bears bright brown eye. The beast let out a roar as blood oozed down its face; bewildered and beaten, the beast ran growling hysterically off into the woods. Kerith returned from his fear-induced paralytic state and ran over to help Muashi who had passed out due to the pain. Arma in turn, dropped to her knees in relief. After about a fifteen minutes Kerith and Arma carried Muashi to a small clearing next to a small flowing river.
Kerith lay the battered Samurai down in the clearing; Arma gathered some wood and busied herself with making a small fire. The group sat around the blaze in silence, only the sound of the river running, bushes and leaves rustling in the wind could be heard. A week had rolled past and Muashi's leg didn't seem to be getting any better.
"We are out of rations" said Kerith bluntly
"I will go hunt some deer or something", replied Arma
Arma hunted, Muashi fished and Kerith used his basic knowledge of first aid to stop Muashi's leg from getting infected. Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months.
Arma climbed up her tree and sat there looking out over the forest, while Kerith gathered some more brushwood. Muashi who could now walk sat quietly fishing.
"Kerith incoming! Get ready… Guards!" Shouted Arma.
Kerith ran and hid in some nearby bushes, his face peering out between two huge browning ferns. Arma stayed perched in her tree, her eyes fixated on the incoming threat; unblinking, she notched an arrow and aimed her elven longbow into the dark forest. Muashi Stood in the middle of the camp. The thundering of hooves got louder as the guards raced toward the camp. One of the guards looked to his companion, then turned to the right. Once his gaze returned to his companion horror hit him; an empty steed! The deserted horse galloped off into the forest, weaving between the towering trees. Arma loaded up another arrow. The guard's eyes dilated in shock as his heart beat increased tenfold. He looked around at the other horsemen who also shared the same immense fear. Four guards ploughed into the clearing and dismounted; they walked up to the Samurai.
"Scum bag! Where are the rest of your so called group; cus if you don't cooperate we will have to end this with force! We have more men on the way, it's your choice", demanded the guard leader.
Muashi stood still; kitted up in his black scale mail, his hands by his sides. A gormless but very crazed smile began to spread across his face.
The guard leader drew his sword and marched up to Muashi, with a blink of the eye Muashi drew his Tanto and Wakazashi and slashed the guard; not even a second passed before the weapons were once more re sheaved. The guards stumbled back as their leader's right arm dropped to the floor; blood sprayed ominously out of the stump. The unfortunate individual fell forward onto his knees; his head rolled forward off its proper place and fell to the floor. More gore poured from the man's neck as the body went limp and flopped to the floor spraying thick crimson everywhere.
One of the guards lunged toward Muashi; the samurai flicked his Katana, eyes watched dumbstruck as the sword flew out of the sheaf. Muashi grabbed the hilt with his other hand and lashed out at the guard. In momentum he ducked as the other guards began to react; the samurai spun around slicing the poor men's lower limps. To finish off the rotation Muashi drove the blade up into the last guard's chest. The gore splattered warrior stood back in his starting position. One of the guards slumped to the floor with no legs from the knee down, blood trickled persistently from the stumps as the man passed out and slowly died of blood loss. The other guard's gut and chest ripped open with a sound similar to that of an insect being crushed with one's heel. Entrails and gore spilled out and dyed the floor. The man looked downward and turned a sickly yellow as his intestines slopped around his hands as he tried hopelessly to hold his life giving organs in.
The third victim looked around slowly and silently; blood began to drip from the remaining guard's eye, just as the top half of the man's cranium slid off to one side. The unfortunate warrior of Waterdeep touched his own brain with disbelief and utter horror before death's cold grasp took him.
Muashi sheaved his Katana, and smiled darkly. He walked around feeling pride for his gruesome deeds. Kerith on the other hand stayed hidden in the undergrowth, motionless. Arma stayed scanning the forest from her vantage point.
"That's what you get for clubbing me" Bellowed MuashiDink! Muashi looked down and a crossbow bolt was protruding out of his leg. Muashi snapped the bolt and roared like a deranged beast; drawing his wakazashi and tanto. A Large group of iron clad men came storming into the clearing. A whistle of air pierced the atmosphere as Arma let an arrow loose, it sliced through the air and imbedded itself into the face of one of the guards. The man was knocked cleanly off his feet and lay on the floor motionless with blood seeping from his wound. Kerith's turn came; he jumped out in front of one of the charging guards and delivered a thunderous front kick. The man had only seconds to register the snapping force to the head before he also fell backwards dead. The man slammed to the floor; boasting a smashed cranium and broken neck. Blood flew out of the head and over the leaf littered floor.
Seeing the devastation caused in one blow a select few of the more fool hardy guards reacted to this new threat and charged the monk. 3 with swords and shields and 2 with spears. Kerith's arms swam through the air in a motion so fluid it resembled the darting of a fish; he stopped in his battle stance and prepared for combat. The monk charged one of the incoming men who held a shining sword and sturdy shield. The attackers slowed their pace as the man who was being charged put his shield up in a defensive stance. Kerith ran up and jumped up on to the angled shield; he then leapt off of the shield spinning in the air, landing seconds later behind the group. Some of the quicker of the guards turned to face. Kerith who had just landed on his knees struck out; hitting one of the attackers in the knee. The bone cracked backward and the man fell forward, but was suddenly sent into a back flip due to Kerith's awe inducing upper cut. The four guards surrounded the monk; their weapons shaking, but held at the ready. Kerith looked around before lunging forward and grabbing hold of a guard with a spear. He pulled the man forward, using the momentum to kick off of the guard; Kerith back flipped in mid air; landing effortlessly behind another of the oppressors, the guard turned around and let out a combo with his sword that Kerith easily dodged. As the other guards came to intercept the brave monk, Kerith stepped forward with a left hook but slyly slipped his leg behind the guard in front, tripping him up. A quick step back and a sudden downward punch to the falling guard's neck easily ended him. Kerith looked behind him quickly then grabbed the nearest guard by the torso and spun fluidly around. The guard let out a yell as blood flowed out of the man's mouth. Kerith dropped the guard to the floor revealing a spear imbedded in his back; a spear belonging to one of his own comrade. Two of the guards remained, one of them standing ready filled with fear, the other dropped his blood stained, traitorous spear and looked hurriedly for another weapon. His eyes flickered on a nearby sword; he dived to it and brought it up level. Kerith waited calmly then charged the two shaken men. The highly trained monk delivered another thunderous kicked aimed at the guard with the shield. Kerith's foot came down with tremendous force towards the man's head, but the man raised his metal shield. The unarmed, unarmoured monk's foot smashed into the shield bending it inward with the sheer force of the kick. The bearer of the buckled shield collapsed to his knees, his arm that was attached to the metal guard took the shape of the bent shield; broken and disfigured. His roar of pain sent nearby birds to leave their roosts and fly into the rapidly approaching night. The other guard lunged sloppily with his sword, but Kerith grabbed the man's forearm and then punched him in the elbow. The elbow cracked and went floppy. The man joined his companion in their eerie chorus as they both howled in utter pain. Seconds went by both were sent to an early death; courtesy of two firm, lightening fast palms to either face. Kerith looked around and ran to the camp.
The guards came swarming toward Muashi; the Samurai drew his Tanto and his Wakazashi. One of the guards got a second wind and sprinted out of the group and forward; this move was shortly ended, as he was sent to his god by Arma. The arrow imbedded deep in the man's neck sending him tumbling to the floor holding the protruding shaft. The guards broke off into two groups. A flash of disturbance in the air, as Arma sent another guard to his death with a cleanly aimed shot. The guards retaliated; they dropped to a single knee and withdrew crossbows and longbows. Letting loose a hell storm of bolts and arrows at the elf; three bolts and four arrows whistle up through the leaves. Two sturdy bolts and one arrow hit home. The arrow hit Arma just below the neck and the two bolts hit her in the torso, a scream of pain escaped through the branches as Arma's bow fell to the ground. Her face screwed up tightly as she clenched each missile in turn, snapping them at skin level. Blood seeped into her leathers and began to run down her body, she ignored this and ran along her branch, drawing her hefty great sword with a single hand. Arma leapt… She fumbled, missing her footing and falling from the tree.
She fell a good thirty foot and crashed into the fire below. A sickening crunch was heard as bone connected with the burning logs. She scrambled about in fear and pain as the fire licked up at her body. Until finally she rolled out of the fire, taking up her sword; she stood up.
Crack! A guard's buckler impacted with unprecedented force in Arma's face. Blood sprayed out of her mouth and she tumbled backwards. One of the guards grabbed her and threw her to the floor. As Arma rolled onto her back, a guard lunged forward; the elven assassin lifted her legs up and locked them around the guard's neck. She drew him forward and began punching him multiple times in the face. The man began to fade as the punches started to take their toll, but before consciousness left him there was a quick movement of her hips a loud snap. The man went limp and fell to the floor.
Arma let go of the flaccid corpse and rolled backward to her feet; her constantly moving head keeping her eyes on all of the guards in the vicinity whilst scanning the deep red ground for her sword. Two guards charged forward, one from her left and one from her right. As the men charged Arma drew her rapiers, once in reach Arma jumped into the air and kicked off of the guy from the left. She twisted her body in the air and landed behind the guard on the right. The guard quickly turned around and punctually got his face pierced by a rapier, blood sprayed out of the wound, and the man fell to the floor dead. Arma then charged the guard's; she reached one and swung with a left but delivered a sickening knee to the man's groin. All the guards' stopped and looked, the poor bloke's eyes glazed over as blood began to seep throw his leathers. The man dropped clumsily to his knees holding his groin; tears running down his face. Arma span around driving both rapiers into a guard's chest. She pushed away and ran into the forest; leaving the remaining three guards to chase. Arma sped off into the darkness, sensing her moment she darted behind a tree. A few seconds passed as she listened to the clumsy, armour clad men approach. Like a spring's breeze, she slid to her left, then dove into some thick bushes and waited.
The three panting guards ran passed arguing with each other; they ran on a bit further then stopped and quarreled some more. Arma crept down, concealed in the undergrowth; she slowly made her way to the guard with her rapiers at the ready,
"How in the hell did you let..." Arma sprung out from hiding driving her rapier deep into the man's neck. Still in motion she spun around driving her rapier in her left hand into another guard's heart. Blood sprayed from the two men, as they slumped to the floor holding their wounds. The last guard fled back to the campsite, but Arma chased after him and easily caught up. Arma then sprinted and stamped on the back of his ankle. The guard let out a yell and then that turned into a gurgle as Arma pulled her rapier out of the man's neck.While Kerith and Arma had been in combat, Muashi, the noble Samurai had been left with the bulk of the force. Muashi knowing the only way to survive in his condition was to fight defensively. Muashi using his skill; just parried the guard's attack…
Kerith wiped his brow, until he saw Muashi in the middle of ten or more guards; Muashi valiantly stood his ground parrying attacks from all angles. Arma entered the clearing and let out a sigh, both Kerith and Arma charge forward.
One of the guards just dove forward taking out Muashi's good leg; all his weight slammed on to his injured leg. The samurai let out a scream, as pain shot up through his body; he fell to the floor holding his leg while screaming in pain. Kerith and Arma stopped in their tracks, horror stricken; Muashi looked up, a man towered above him, his blade glinting in the dying light. The samurai's eyes widened in horror as the sword coursed downward into his heart. Blood seeped out of Muashi's parched lips as he tried to move. Slowly, the light faded from Muashi's eyes; death took him.
Arma drops her rapiers in horror, tears ran down her blood stained face. Kerith's eyes blazed with rage and anger.
"MUASHI!" screamed KerithThe deranged monk charged; thoughts of rage and vengeance spreading throughout his mind; the first guard felt Kerith's wrath, he beat him to a pulp with fists of fury; a good eight punches in about three seconds left the guard dead; fragments of bone embedded in the pink goo that lay in his head. Arma
wiped the tears away and charged into the group of guards, one of them turned around, and was rapidly met by the elf tackling him hard to the ground his helmet flying off forward. Arma quickly straddled the man and began to hit the disorientate thug, the man tried to cover up but was unable to stop the barrage of punches. The body soon went limp, blood slowly seeping out of open cuts on the mans face. Seconds dragged past as the two vengeful companions realised how hopelessly out numbered they were; despair flooded into their gore ridden features.
Another tear seeped down Arma's delicate features; as if it were some unknown signal; a hail of arrows flew out of the woods and peppered the remaining guardsmen.