Calder laid down on the cart, looking at the night sky, lit up by the stars and moon, with only half of it visible. He was thankful that there was something familiar about this unfamiliar land. He could remember the constellations the elders taught him, and as always, the moon was a welcome sight. It had been a long day for the ranger, so it was nice to have something to look forward to when the day was over. It was very unlikely he would return home anytime soon, so the half-elf had to take joy in the little reminders.
Night had fallen a little less than a hour ago and they have yet to arrive at Greenest. Calder could hear Fargrim and Zavier whisper fiercely to each other, likely in some sort of debate. When the sun set, the dwarf pulled out a map and tried to find out where they are, and his mentor was only getting in the way. Skylar remained seated in the back, eyes close in sleep. Although he was growing tired, the ranger thought it would be best to stay awake. He needed to keep watch to ensure that no trouble comes their way.
"Uh, we have a complication," Zavier announced, not looking back. "You two are going to want to get up."
Skylar yawned as she woke up, turning towards Zavier. Likewise, Calder sat up, pulling himself back up onto his seat. At first, the ranger was certain that the complication was they were lost and needed to make camp without the proper supplies. However, he noticed the brightness coming from the front of the cart and took a sniff. He gagged, recognizing the smoke of an uncontrolled fire. Quickly, the half-elf joined the two at the front, looking astonished upon the burning town that was before them.
Greenest was under siege with columns of black smoke shrouding the night sky above the town. Many of the wooden houses were on fire, screams coming from throughout. Calder was able to make out several dots of figures running through the town, although he was unsure of if they are innocent townsfolk or the aggressors. Through the cloud of smoke, the ranger thought he saw something moving within, but shook his head. He was growing tired enough as it was and was now starting to see things that were not there to begin with.
"Greenest is under attack," Calder muttered slowly.
"We have to help," Skylar told the group. "If we don't help, who knows what'll become of Greenest?"
"We could help, but I don't think we should," Zavier replied, a hint of fear in his voice. "I'd rather not get burnt, you see."
"But you slayed dragons, beasts capable of breathing fire," Calder reminded him with a grin. "Surely, you cannot be afraid of a little wildfire?"
"Master Blackwood isn't afraid, so we shall aid in th' defense o' Greenest!" Fargrim declared, standing up from his seat. "Get me my axe!"
"Rushing in isn't a good idea either," Calder pointed out. "We should come up with a plan while we have the time to think."
"And while we're coming up with a plan, the people of Greenest will suffer," Skylar argued, picking up Fargrim's greataxe. "We can think of a plan on the fly. Until then, we need to head into town."
"Seeing how it isn't safe to bring a cart into a town that's on fire, I elect that I stay here to look after it and coordinate our efforts into town," Zavier quickly volunteered. "Now, no need to thank me.'
"Good thinkin', Master Blackwood!" Fargrim nodded in agreement. "How brave o' ye te elect te guard th' cart by yerself. Any raiders that try te flee will have yer wrath to endure first!"
"My w-wrath?" Zavier repeated, gulping.
"Aye," Fargrim took his axe from Skylar and hopped off the cart. "I look forward te seein' th' enemies that fall before ye, Master Blackwood."
"While you two are coming up with a plan, we'll get the actual job done," Skylar hopped off the cart and followed Fargrim. "We'll see you in the morning when Greenest is safe!"
"I wish you the best of luck, Zavier," Calder climbed over the cart. "Someone's going to need to support them. Seeing as how you're powerful enough to look after the cart, I'd be better off with them."
"Now, hold on a moment," Zavier called out, struggling to get out of the cart. "If you are insistent, I shall come as well. Someone's going to need to keep you alive."
Calder did not bother to wait for Zavier, who quickly ran past him to rejoin the others. The ranger smirked while no one saw him, wishing that someone else saw the man's true colors. Although he caught up with the rest of the group, he elected to stay in the back, pulling out his longbow but not yet nocking an arrow upon it. He wanted to be prepared but decided it would be best not to rely upon his instincts. He could accidentally kill an innocent man simply because he walked around the corner unexpectedly.
The group finally arrived in the town, surrounded by burning houses. The fire was useful in giving them light so they would not be fighting in the darkness of the night. There were dozens of tracks moving in all directions with the only sign of life being the screaming heard throughout Greenest. A man wearing leather armor laid down on the ground in his own blood, clutching a crossbow in one hand. Hesitantly, Skylar walked up to him, taking his crossbow and quiver of bolts. Calder was unsure why someone who could called upon magic relied on a weapon but decided not to question her on it. He had far more important matters to worry about.
Suddenly, without warning, five humans emerged from between two buildings to their left in front of the group. It was quick to tell that they were townsfolk with three of the humans being children. The man limped behind them, badly wounded and possibly bleeding them out. With them was a woman, wielding a round shield and broken spear. Given her lack of a combat stance, Calder could tell she was inexperienced. It was very likely that she only fought because her husband was too injured to continue.
The family ran towards the group, who could see that they were being pursued. Following them were eight small creatures, standing shorter than Fargrim. They wore no armor but had scales of red and green color. In their hands, they wielded tiny daggers, coated in the blood of their enemies. Calder looked on in shock, having never seen such a creature in before. Both Zavier and Skylar stared in awe as well while Fargrim's grip on his axe grew tighter, the dwarf grunting in frustration.
"Kobolds," Fargrim spat on the ground. "Minions of dragons. Show them no mercy for they will give none!"
"Yes, you three do that," Zavier agreed, looking at the family of humans. "I'll, uh, make sure none of them hurt the innocent children, as it is my duty as a hero."
Zavier was the first to move, positioning himself in between the kobolds and the family, but otherwise not taking action against the foe. He pulled out his rapier and pointed it at the kobolds, although it was easy to tell he was nervous. His hand was shaking and his blade could not stay still. Calder was unsure of if he actually knew how to fight, but at the very least, the kobolds would have to take him down before they could go after the family.
Fargrim grinned, holding his greataxe in both hands, and charged in with a roar cry. For a moment, the kobolds looked shock at the sight of an adventurer rushing into battle, most of them taking a few steps back. The leader of the pack stood his ground, holding his flimsy dagger out to defend himself. The dwarf raised his weapon high in the air and then slammed the blade down upon the kobold, nearly cleaving his foe in half. The pack was clearly afraid but did not back away.
Calder nocked an arrow on his bow while Skylar fired the already loaded crossbow at one of the kobolds. The shot went wide and the bolt vanished within the flames of a burning house. The ranger took careful aim, confident that he would hit, and let the arrow fly free. It shot through the skull of a kobold, who fell down onto the ground, death instantly claiming him.
The remaining charged forward, as if they intended to swarm over their prey. Two fought against Fargrim, who managed to dodge the first dagger but the second one sunk into his side, tearing into it and drawing a lot of blood. The dwarf grunted, injured but still ready to keep up the fight. The remaining kobolds split up, taking different targets. Two of them charged towards Zavier, who looked as if he wanted to shout in fear, while the remaining ones went after Calder and Skylar. The ranger holstered his longbow, pulling out one of his short swords in preparation for the ensuing melee.
Calder charged as the kobolds did, intending to take them down in combat. Although he preferred fighting with a bow, he understood that Skylar lacked the physical training he had and needed to be protected. Nearing the kobolds, he dashed to the side and swung his blade at the kobold. It cut through the scales and ended the poor creature's life. The ranger pivoted to face the second kobold but saw that he was not needed. With blue flames flickering around her head, Skylar had grabbed the remaining kobold, sparks of lightning coming from her hands. When she let go, their enemy fell down face forward, twitching.
"So, you can use magic to fight," Calder commented, sheathing his short sword.
"I can, but that's my only offensive spell," Skylar replied. "It requires contact with the target, so I can't rely on it too much."
Calder nodded, taking a moment to analyze the battle. He turned towards Zavier and the family first with the belief that the former had fled and left the latter exposed to attack. Instead, Zavier was holding out against his foes. One kobold laid in the ground in a pool of his own blood with his companion trying to attack his foe. The man managed to dodge the incoming knife and jabbed his rapier at his enemy, piercing into his chest. He sighed as the kobold fell to the ground, looking to be relieved.
Upon hearing a scream of pain coming from Fargrim, Calder instinctively pulled out his longbow once more, pivoting around to his direction. The dwarf had been injured once more, having received another cut to his shoulder. He grunted, trying to shrug off the pain, but was bleeding badly. He swung his greataxe towards one of his attackers, the blade cutting through the creature halfway. The warrior was panting, his injuries starting to strain on his performance.
Calder quickly took aim at the single kobold while Skylar loaded her crossbow with another bolt. They fired at the same time, but in their eagerness, both shots missed and disappeared into town. The ranger frowned, wishing he had more time to aim properly. In his defense, it was a hard shot to make if he wanted to make sure he did not hit Fargrim by mistake. The surviving kobold, oblivious to his surroundings, took advantage of his opponent's weakness and jabbed his dagger into his exposed chest. Miraculously, the warrior remained standing and spat in the face of the kobold in defiance.
While Calder reached for another arrow, Zavier ran past him and Skylar, rapier in hand. Yet, instead of trying to attack the kobold, he touched Fargrim's shoulder, his lips muttering a whisper. The wounds on the dwarf's shoulder started to close, the spell healing him and bringing him back to strength. The warrior grinned, and without hesitation, swung his greataxe at the kobold's neck, sending his foe's head flying into the air.
"An' that's th' last o' 'em," Fargrim called out. "Thanks fer th' backup, Master Blackwood, an' fer not gittin' in th' way. Another one o' yer lessons, aye?"
"Of course," Zavier nodded. "What are kobolds of all creatures doing here?"
"Raiders, I think, but I'm not sure," the woman spoke, cautiously approaching the grow with her family falling behind. "Thank you for saving me and my family. My name is Linan."
"Can't be regular raiders," Fargrim told them. "Kobolds are minions te dragons, so unless-"
"There's a dragon," the injured man interrupted, coughing. "It's not taking part in the fighting, but it's here, somewhere."
"Well, that dragon is as good as dead," Fargrim spat on the ground.
"Our priority should be getting Linan and her family to safety," Calder brought up. "We can go after the dragon later, if you really wish."
"Is there anywhere safe in Greenest that we can go to?" Skylar asked, looking at Linan.
"There's the keep," Linan answered. "We're already on our way there. If you could protect us, that'd be welcomed."
"Fargrim, take point with Linan," Zavier commanded. "If you see another group, I want the two of you to lead us somewhere else."
"If ye insist," Fargrim grunted. "Guess it is best te get th' family te safety."
"The rest of us will cover the rear then," Skylar continued with the planning. "The formation isn't perfect, but it'll make do."
"Let's be off to the keep then," Calder told the group.
With Linan acting as their guide, the group proceeded through the burning town. For the most part, they were able to avoid groups of raiders, sticking to the alleyways to avoid confrontation. Through the flaming rubble, Calder was able to make out some of the raiders. The kobolds continued with their pillaging with the ranger spotting one with wings every few minutes. Now, they were accompanied by humans who wore dark clothing to blend in with the night. From what he could tell, they were not in uniform at all, but they had to be some sort of organization. They were working with a dragon in this raid, so perhaps they are members of the Cult of the Dragon.
As the group pressed on, more townsfolk joined Linan's family in the center of the formation. Four quickly exceeded a dozen as they came closer to the keep. No one was going to turn them away but Calder had to admit that their growing numbers was not so fortunate. With this mass of people, it would only be a matter of time until the raiders saw them and attacked. The townsfolk could panic during the ensuing battle, splitting the group or causing his companions to look after them. Hopefully, it would not come down to that.
The group broke from the cover of the ruined town and proceeded uphill, the stone keep standing in defiance at the massacre happening around it. The wooden gates were opened with townsfolk streaming in. Thankfully, there were no raiders attacking the keep, but if the doors closed, they would have nowhere to hide. Calder stopped in his tracks, taking a moment to let the townsfolk get a headstart while looking around. The attackers were starting to surround the keep and the ranger took notice of the largest group of raiders approaching him, Zavier, and Skylar. Four humans brandishing scimitars and six kobolds, one of which was flying. The townsfolk and Fargrim went unseen, storming into the keep.
"Oi, why are you three just standing there?!" one of the human raiders called out to them. "It's free pickings inside the keep if you can get there before the gates are barred."
"I think we can run and make it," Skylar whispered to the two. "It'll be close but we can do it."
"Not without letting that large group follow us inside," Calder whispered back. "You run, Zavier and I will try to sl-"
"A group of armed men ambushed us back in town and killed all of our kobolds!" Zavier shouted out to the raiders. "They may try to flank us from behind! With your numbers, you can surely put a stop to their efforts."
"Well, we can't have them kill more of these little bastards," the raider replied back, chuckling. "We'll finish the job for you three. Happy hunting!"
"Did that really work?" Skylar asked, astonished as the large group of raiders ran towards the burning town."
"Worked a lot better than Calder's crazy plan," Zavier grinned. "Come on, the gate's are closing!"
Zavier spoke the truth as one half of the wooden gate had closed while they were busy. The other half remain opened despite there being no more villagers in vicinity and more hostile attackers surrounding the keep. The trio rushed off towards their final hope of sanctuary in the burning town. As he neared the gates, Calder could make out the sound of commotion breaking out inside. He cursed under his breath, hoping that none of the raiders managed to get in.
They entered the keep and saw that although no raiders had infiltrated it. Rather, the group of townsfolk they saved stood between the gate and a group of armed guards, pushing them back. At the center of the protest, Fargrim shouted out in a language Calder was unfamiliar with, most likely his native tongue. The dwarf turned his head when the trio entered, grinning at them while waving his axe. One by one, the villagers took notice and stepped aside, allowing the guards to slam shut the gates shut. Fargrim walked up to his companions, followed by an armed soldier.
"This is them?" the guard asked, looking at the group. "The dragon slayer and his companions who saved over a dozen people and escorted them to safety?"
"Aye," Fargrim nodded in confirmation. "Th' others can vouch fer 'em."
"That won't be necessary," the guard said, walking off. "Come along now, Governor Nighthill is going to want to speak with you."
"Well, so much for a quick break," Zavier yawned out. "Everyone, welcome to Greenrest."
A/N: And so, the adventure itself finally starts.
Isada: That it is. Perhaps more will end up joining it. You'll just have to read on and see.
Yimiki: Yeah, I just hate it when a good story ends without ending. Glad to hear that you like the story and hope you keep on reading.
Until next time.