The guard led the group up a series of stairs, taking them out to the parapet of the keep. Looking down at his surroundings, Calder was not shocked to see the state of Greenest. The town continued to burn as the majority of the raiders circled the keep, battering against the stone walls. To their back ranks were reinforcements, who stayed out of the fight and kept an eye on the keep. There was no retreat for anyone inside, but on the bright side, the raiders were not going to get in anytime soon. While they were efficient at pillaging, a siege was a task beyond their capabilities.
Guards lined the walls, wielding crossbows just like the one Skylar looted off the fallen soldier. They did not fire but paid close attention to both the raiders and the skies above. If there was a dragon on the loose, they were going to want to save their bolts to take it down, if such a task would be accomplished. The elders of Calder's tribe spoke of the ferocity of the beast and told that any hunter that set out to kill one was never seen from again.
Pacing behind the ranks of soldiers was a man and a dwarf speaking with one another. The man was long past his prime with a wrinkled and saggy face as well as gray hair. From the looks of it, the initial raid did a number on him. Half of his face was covered in bandages and his right arm was slung up in a sling. Calder took notice of red stains upon his blue tunic, most likely his own blood. The ranger had to applaud the man for his duty. Even injured, he continues to look out for his people.
While the man appeared to be a civilian leader, the dwarf was most likely in charge of the guards. He was similar in size to Fargrim but wore silver armor to hide his muscles. The metal was tarnished in stained blood but it was that of a fallen enemy that met his blade, which was sheathed on his belt along with a ring with dozens of keys. He had bright red that was a tangled mess, but given the circumstances, was the least of his worries. The duo approached the adventurers cautiously, eyeing them up and down to see what they were capable of.
"Governor Nighthill, these brave heroes are to thank for the last group of civilians to get into the keep," the guard reported to the man. "The dwarf claims that this man is a slayer of dragons."
"He looks tee scrawny te be a slayer o' dragons," the armored dwarf pointed out.
"That doesn't matter, Escobert" Governor Nighthill shrugged. "It's good to have aid in these times, regardless of whether their claims are true. Tell me your names, please."
"I am Zavier Blackwood, and despite your friend's doubts, I am the hero my student, Fargrim Torun, makes me out to be," Zavier introduced, grinning. "The other two were hitchhikers we picked up on the way here."
"I'm Skylar Godwin," she bowed before the governor.
"Calder Notley," he nodded simply.
"Well, it's good to have you with us," Governor Nighthill told them. "I'm Governor Nighthill and this is Escobert the Red, the castilian of this keep. I understand that you may want some rest, but we would appreciate any help that you could give us at this dark hour."
"Well, surely, it could wait for a few hours," Zavier suggested, yawning. "Saving lives is tiring, you know."
"We'll do it," Calder told the governor. "What is it you need our help for?"
"No one's gittin' in this keep, raiders and townsfolk alike," Escobert started his explanation. "Unfortunately, there are still several dozen townsfolk out there, fendin' fer 'emselves. If we're goin' te help 'em, we need te secure th' ol' tunnel down in th' cellar o' th' keep. Never saw much use until now, so it may be swarmin' with rats, an' there may be cultists waitin' outside."
"Surely, you could spare a guard or two to deal with a pack of rats," Zavier advised. "Such a task is surely beneath me."
"In packs, rats can be pretty dangerous," Skylar pointed out. "Calder and I will take care of it. That's not beneath us, right?"
"Indeed," Calder nodded in agreement.
"An' I'm goin' as well," Fargrim joined in. "Not like I can git any sleep right now. Tee restless, ye know. We could use yer help, Master Blackwood."
"Well, I guess if you insist, I suppose I shall lend you my expertise," Zavier sighed out. "Shall we be off then?"
"Yer goin' te need these," Escobert unhooked two rings from the ring and tossed them at Zavier, who caught them after fumbling a little. "Th' silver one is fer th' cellar entrance. Th' bronze one is fer th' river side. Good luck, lads an' lass."
"And if the opportunity does arise, try to take a prisoner," Governor Nighthill requested. "The more we know about our enemy, the better."
"We'll do our best," Calder replied.
"I can show them to the cellar," the guard announced. "With me. It's down on the bottom level."
The group followed the soldier once more, heading downstairs through multiple flights of stairs. Zavier continued to yawn out loudly and Calder was starting to realize how just how exhausted he was. They spent most of the day traveling, fought against kobolds, and snuck around a burning town. Hopefully, once they were done securing the escape tunnel, they would be given time to rest. Still, their duty came first, meaning that they had to ensure that the Governor's request was met.
Eventually, they arrived at the cellar, which had been mostly stripped down as the battle worn down. There were only a single stack of crates by the corner of the room. The torches mounted to the wall remain lit, with Zavier taking one off its post and holding it in one hand. There was a single door on the other side of the wall, locked tightly. Yet, with the key given to them by Escobert, Zavier opened the door, revealing a dark tunnel small enough for a group to walk into single file.
Fargrim took point, brandishing his greataxe in both hands. Zavier followed suit, pulling out his rapier with his free hand while holding the torch out with the other. Calder nodded at Skylar, who entered in next. The ranger followed her in, deciding it would be best to cover them. If something tried sneaking up on them, he would be able to protect them.
The walk through the tunnel was uneventful up until they reached the end. A metal grate, also locked, waited for them. However, multiple nests were constructed in front of the grate, housing multiple dark-furred pests. Calder could make out a few dozen of the vermin, who looked at the group in anticipation. For the most part, they seemed harmless, but they have yet to disturb their home. If they were going to use the escape tunnel at all, the rats had to be cleared out.
"We should come up with a plan to get rid of them without putting ourselves at risk," Skylar suggested through a hushed whisper. "Zavier, do you have a sp-"
Fargrim let out a wild war cry, interrupting Skylar as he ran forward, cleaving his greataxe down on one of the nests. The rats squealed in terror and started to scatter. Zavier quickly rushed forward to join his friend, jabbing his rapier at multiple rats running by his feet. Skylar reached for her crossbow, panicking as she shot one of the rats that ran by them. Calder sighed out, pulling out his longbow and likewise shooting down a rat with an arrow. For the most part, the rats seemed terrorized and willing to retreat from a deadly fight, rushing past their feet
Despite the sudden attack and death of their kin, some of the rats pressed the attack. Fargrim grunted as multiple rats started to swarm onto him, clutching onto his exposed skin with ease. Calder nocked another arrow onto his bow and Skylar loaded another crossbolt, but neither of them fired. The ranger was too hesitant about accidentally injuring his friend. Yet, the fighter did not care for the attack, swinging his greataxe to carefully pick off a few rats clinging onto him. Likewise, Zavier joined in, jabbing his rapier skillfully to kill the remaining rats.
"And that's the last of them!" Zavier announced with a grin.
"Fargrim, are you alright?" Skylar asked with a hint of worry in her voice.
"They didn't even drew blood," Fargrim told her with a cackle. "Zavier, hand me that key. I'll git this grate open in just a moment."
"A bunch of rats bit you, but you're not bleeding?" Calder questioned, doubt clear in his voice.
"It takes more than vermin to hurt Fargrim," Zavier told him, handing the key to the dwarf. "Nothing can stop us, isn't that right, my dear friend?"
"Aye, that ye are," Fargrim nodded in agreement, unlocking the grate and opening it. "An' we're not out o' th' woods yet. Raiders comin' by but I don't think they noticed us."
"How many?" Calder quickly asked, now alert.
"A couple of kobolds, two humans," Fargrim reported, climbing out of the tunnel. "Looks like Nighthill is goin' te git that prisoner he wants."
"Couldn't we just close and lock the grate?" Zavier pointed out, not moving. "We cleared out the tunnel. Our job is done."
"Well, I suppose we could go back and get some sleep," Skylar nodded in agreement. "Although, if those raiders manage to find the tunnel, there's nothing to stop them from killing us in our sleep."
Zavier opened his mouth as if he was going to argue but only let out a disappointed sigh, climbing out of the grate. Skylar giggled quietly to herself and followed him outside. Calder was the last to leave the tunnel, taking in the sight of the patrol, consisting of six kobolds and two raiders. They were likely on the lookout for any townsfolk trying to flee and were nearing the secret tunnel closer with each step, oblivious to the armed band. With the element of surprise on their surprise, eliminating the threat should be easy enough.
When one kobold got close enough, Fargrim struck, swinging his greataxe to end the creature's life with ease while alerting the raiders to their presence. Calder and Skylar unleashed their attacks on the kobolds as well. The arrow from the ranger's bow struck true at the head, ending its life. The bolt from the crossbow struck a third kobold in the chest, who barely held onto life. It growled, holding onto its dagger weakly as it advanced on the group.
"You're a fool if you think you can still fight us," Zavier insulted, mocking the surviving kobold.
Calder was prepared to tell Zavier to stop taunting their foes and actually fight. Yet, the injured kobold clutched its head, growling in pain, and collapsed onto the ground, unmoving. The ranger took a quick glance back at his companion, staring in disbelief at the feat. The man winked back before dropping his jaw, eyes wide open in horror. The half-elf turned back to the battle, seeing that the kobolds had surrounded Fargrim with each striking him, acting as a team. The fighter let out a curse before collapsing onto his side, bleeding from multiple cut wounds.
"Fargrim!" Zavier called out in terror.
Calder dropped his longbow with the raiders starting to advance on the trio and pulled out his shortsword. One of the raiders moved to strike at him with a curved blade. The ranger was able to block it easily enough with his own blade, yet that left him exposed to the second raider's attack. A searing pain shot through him as a second scimitar slashed across his gut, blood starting to pour from the gash. In retaliation, the half-elf struck at the raider, slashing his shortsword down on his arm.
Skylar stood behind her companion and let loose her crossbow, nailing one of the kobolds in the neck. The remaining two growled, leaving Fargrim as they joined their commanders in dealing with the survivors. Calder was glad that they were not moving to injure the dwarf any further, but he was certain he could not fend off four attackers at once while keeping his friends safe. He heard Zavier chant behind him as he made hand motions, pointing outward. Suddenly, raider and kobold likely collapsed on the ground. For a moment, the ranger thought they were dead, but then heard a snore escape the mouth of one of the raiders.
"They're sleeping?" Skylar asked in surprise.
"That's not important," Zavier told them, pushing past them. "Come on! Fargrim might live!"
Calder and Skylar rushed with him over to Fargrim, who laid on the ground in a growing pool of his blood. Thankfully, his chest was heaving slightly, showing that he was alive. The ranger held both of his hands down on one of the more serious cuts inflicted on the dwarf, trying to apply pressure to minimize blood loss. The others followed suit with other wounds, holding them down. Yet, the fighter continued to bleed with each passing second.
"What are you waiting for?" Calder asked, glancing at Zavier. "Heal him!"
"Sleep was my final spell for the day," Zavier revealed, sighing.
"You can only cast two, maybe three spells a day?" Skylar glared at him.
"It's complicated!" Zavier tried to defend himself. "Can't you two do anything?!"
"None of my magic revolves around healing," Skylar told him.
"I know no magic, but I think I have a plan," Calder replied. "Zavier, we're going to need that torch of yours,"
"Uh, I may have dropped it," Zavier said, looking back at the grate. "Ayep. It's out now."
"Well, so much for cauterizing the wounds," Calder shook his head. "We can try to rush him over for medical aid, but I think he'll bleed out, and none of us are carrying any cloth to bandage him up with."
"Is there anything else we can do?" Skylar asked, her and Zavier tearing up.
"Ye can start by gittin' yer hands off o' me chest," Fargrim groaned, raising his head up. "Yer hurtin' me more than ye are helpin."
"You bloody bastard!" Zavier shouted out in surprise, helping Fargrim up. "Come on! He can make it."
"Someone tell me if we won th' battle," Fargrim told them, grabbing his greataxe to use as support.
"They're all asleep," Calder told them, pointing at the injured cultist. "We'll take that one alive. You may execute the rest of them if you have the strength for it."
Fargrim grimly nodded, limping towards the injured kobolds. While it may not be ethical to murder their foes in such a way, they had no choice. Their main fighter was too injured to fight any longer and they did not have the time to take them all as prisoners. It had to be done to ensure the tunnel's existence was not revealed. Calder pulled out another arrow from his quilver, nocking it on his bow as he slammed his boot down on the injured raider's chest. He woke up, the first thing he seeing was the metal tip of an arrow pointed at his forehead.
"You're coming with us," Calder told him as Fargrim executed the first kobold. "You will tell us everything you know."
"You may force me to come, but my lips are sealed," the raider told him with a growl. "I'm not talking."
"But you're beaten," Skylar pointed out while Fargrim executed the final kobold. "There's not much else you can do."
"Not how it works, girl," the raider told her. "I'm beaten, but I remain loyal to my cause!"
"Now, I don't know if you know who I am, but I am a legend," Zavier started with his boasting, Fargrim limping over to the remaining cultist. "I am Zavier Blackwood, he who slays dragons with a flick of his wrist. You shall tell me what we ask of you or I shall unleash my righteous wrath upon your pitiful self."
"Is this guy serious?" the raider chuckled loudly. "He who slays dragons my ass. You may as well kill me, you know. I'm not talking."
"If yer goin' te interrogate someone, do it right," Fargrim told the group, annoyed. "Force him te look this way an' keep his eyes open."
Zavier nodded, kneeling down by the raider and grabbing at his head. The raider tried to resist by moving his head the other way, but in the end, his head was flat on its side, the man's fingers keeping his eyelids open. Fargrim took a final glance at the scene as he raised his greataxe high into the sky. The dwarf swung it down, decapitating the sleeping raider right before their prisoner's eye. To top it all off, the fighter looked at the surviving raider in his eyes and gave a bloodthirsty grin before heading back into the tunnel.
"I'll talk," the raider announced, his eyes still looking on in horror. "Just keep that mad dwarf away from me, and I'll tell you all that I know!"
A/N: The day comes to a close as our band of heroes continues to aid Greenest in its time of need.
Isada: It is only going to get more exciting from here, I assure you.
Boggie445: It is definitely possible. I already have ideas for possible romantic subplots in mind, and yes, NPCs are involved. For some of the NPCs, I plan on expanding on them and giving them bigger roles. Some of them may even become members of the party! We'll just have to wait and see how it turns out.
Until next time.