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Crayne reveals a display of relief as he sees Canter rise from a dreadful state. He feels a bout of absolute and true respect for the lady Emma and he makes sure that the lady will be repaid for her deed. Returning to his conversation with Daran he is intrigued by this General Wade. "Now hang on me friend. These orders came directly from General Wade did they? How long ago and where did he give you these orders? What does this General Wade look like?"

Daran runs a dirty hand through his hair. "Gee, I...Maybe a week ago? He told me to gather the best of my men and head out. That if I crossed the border near Dillend I'd have no problem with Rinder patrols... What does he look like? Gosh, I don't know...about as tall as you, Crayne, with a shiny head and a gray beard. He's got this scar under his eye...always makes me a little--you know--when I look at him. 'Course, I've only seen him a couple of times..."

Crayne then closes his eyes for a moment. His thoughts wander back to the meeting where Guilliam told all of what had happened in the mine. Who was there? The Duke, Biln; Sir Nigel of the Knights of Rinder; Sir Jornek of the Knights of Rinder; the Duke's lovely wife, Rebecca; Towers, the high Cleric; Gladstone, the Duke's Man-At-Arms; Peters Lander, the Duke's court advisor; and Paros.

"Paros. That name keeps coming up again and again!" Crayne thinks. "I didn't trust him from the start."

Crayne then leads Daran through the boulders, back toward the camp. There they meet up with Hannibal, Emma, and the newly revived Canter. Seeing Crayne head in her direction, Emma pauses for a moment. "He's okay," she tells the mage once he arrives, "He's badly in need of rest, I think."

Crayne nods to the priestess. "Right, we will take Daran with us and that is all!" he looks around the group in a stern manner. Cy's figure then joins the group, a combination of dirt and blood covering his chestplate and shield, the paint of which is beginning to peel, revealing different colors beneath.

"A storm is coming," Crayne continues, "and we are wasting time! This attack was used to delay us for I am sure that the General didn't think that this rabble could take out the Rinder's Six! Let us not be delayed! We must move! If we stay here we might be under attack again! Emma, do you think Canter and Edyrd will be able to travel on horseback?" He puts his hood up and wraps himself in his cloak. He gives a quick look around those gathered together. Not seeing Storm and Edryd, he looks back toward the boulders.

Cy uncerimoniously dumps the unconscious archer in the encampment. "I brought the trash."

Emma looks up at Crayne's statement and then back to Cy. "What General is he talking about? And who's that?" she asks, unsure of whatever became of the mounted horseman.

Edryd, meanwhile, is glad to see everyone getting along so well, but frustrated that

only he and Storm, ever faithful Storm, seem to remember that the foe that brought Edryd to the threshold of Anhur's rest is still up and about and has just spit on his head!

Edryd's eyes flash sparks, furious not at his humiliation, for he would suffer any humiliation in the name of Anhur, but at Ben's arrogant mocking of the God of War and Justice! He refuses to leave Storm to his own devices and grunts as he struggles to move over and deal Ben a death blow, if Storm does not beat him to it... He prays to Anhur, "Help me in mine hour of need that my name would decrease but that Thy Name, Anhur the Just, Anhur the Mighty, Anhur the God of Thunder would be avenged of this infidel's dishonor. Protect this shell of flesh that I may live to honor Thy Name another day, in another battle. Blessed be Thy Name!"

As he nears Ben and prepares to strike, he hisses, "My Lord is not MOCKED!"

Storm straddles Ben, doing his best to pin the enemy down. He furiously grabs the dagger sticking out of Ben's back and rips it from the flesh, letting the followthrough cock the knife above his head, ready to strike again. He lets out a loud yell as he begins to strike, but notices Edryd approaching and saying words under his breath. He sees the fury in the Paladin's eyes, and knows his intent clearly. He then continues his strike, but aims to the side, hoping to pierce straight through the man's arm, sticking him to the ground.

Edryd now stands above the body of Ben, which is chest down in the dirt, his arm stapled to the ground and his head turned aside. Edryd can make out the defiant determination in Ben's eye as he glares down at the left half of his face. He once again shouts. "My Lord is not MOCKED!" He then drives his sword straight through Ben's back, right through the heart, until the blade is buried deep in the earth below; his last bit of energy spent.

Hannibal, after ensuring Canter is fairly comfortable where he lay, heads back up the hill to fetch his bow. Once retrieved, he heads back down and picks through the arrows of the fallen archers, taking only the best arrows to replace the ones he had used in battle. His quiver, completely emptied of its arrows during the battle, now sports 16 usable arrows. With that ritual done, he heads back to the group.

Catching Emma's eyes first, he takes a moment only to smile and show his appreciation for the valor she has shown in battle. He then closes in on the group, joining the circle.

Cy turns to Emma, and asks, "Can Canter be moved? If he can, we need to seek shelter immediately."

Hannibal nods in agreement. "I figure, if Canter can ride, we should move out. Hobgoblins are a dime a dozen and they may be back reinforced. I'd rather risk cathching a cold than another wave of their assasins!"

"Yes, I think so...," she responds, "Though we'll have to move him slowly. He's lost a lot of blood. It will take some time for him to regain his strength."

She looks worriedly in the direction of the boulders, back towards the spot where she left Edryd. "How's everyone else? Is everything under control now? What about Edryd? He was badly wounded before I left him..."

Emma's voice trails off as she sees Cy move toward Crayne. Cy just about loses his very frayed temper. Walking up to the mage, armor clashing and grinding, Cy stops at arms length from the him. A steel and blood coated arm snaps out to its full extension with a clank heard over the approaching thunder. Cy's index finger fairly embeds itself in Crayne's sternum.

"Rabble? Cannot take out Rinder's six?!! By gods you spell-weaving half-wit! Two men almost DIED on this field today! This ambush was nearly our last battle! If it were nay for the grace of this priestess, we would be food for the Vultures that will pluck the eyes from these corpses in the morrow!" Cy's voice echoes through the night, seemingly as loud as the thunder in the sky.

Emma hears Cy's words and rises from her position beside Canter. "Here," she reaches down to help Canter stand, taking some of his weight onto herself. It was a good thing he wasn't wearing too much armor or she'd never manage to help him get anywhere.

Calming, slightly, Cy continues to upbraid Crayne. "What Edryd did must be done in great measure. If we are to live and earn the reputation we have, we MUST be more organized. This could have been a rout with proper military tactic, a forward advance supported by a spell with a flanking manuever by a skirmisher. As those who oppose us think we can only be bested by an army, soon shall we face one. I am no coward, but I loathe that day." He takes a deep breath.

"Under this armor bleeds a man." He places his bloody hands on his chestplate. "I know my mortality. I hath seen its face upon the deaths of the men I have fought with and under, lead and killed. Even through my steel skin I feel its coming BREATH in each stroke that barely misses my organs. Take your thrall if you wish, but before we venture forth we shall learn a bit of what it is to be a unit in the field and I don't know if we wish one who at a moment might be an enemy to hear us."

Cy, saying more words than he has spoken in years, slides his bloodied sword into its sheath, and waits for a response... As an afterthought, he again draws his sword and offers an ancient salute to Emma. The priestess may recognize it as the salute of a Cavilier of Anhur to a worthy opponent or respected comrade.

Emma raises an eyebrow at Cy's gesture, still digesting all of his words. The mercenary seemed like such a mysterious person to her...a great warrior and tactician, there could be no doubt. "But a Cavalier's salute?" she wonders to herself, "Does he really understand the significance of such a thing? What kind of personal meaning could it hold for him? And where did he learn of it?" She finally nods in acknowledgement of his gesture, still struggling to hold up Canter with her much smaller frame.

"You did well upon the battlefield. Your faith serves you honor," Cy says solemnly.

"Thank you," Emma says, somewhat at a loss for words. Then she looks up at Canter and smiles reassuringly, "By Anhur's grace we appear to have survived...but...what of Edryd...and Storm?"

Crayne looks at Cy through his hood. His features dark with his eyes blackened by the shadow of his furrowed brow. Lightning strikes again in the distance. For an awkward moment Crayne stands there looking sharply into Cy's eyes watching him. "My friend!" Crayne says, "I suggest you keep your insults to yourself in the future. If you would like to continue this conversation at a later date then I will be glad to speak with you. However, at the moment I believe we are all in the gravest of danger. There is very little point in divulging into argument for that is what the enemy would want!" Crayne seems very calm and not hindered by Cy.

Cy shakes his head at Crayne's response. Hearing Emma's concern for Storm and Edryd, Cy realizes that they haven't joined the group. Looking past Crayne to Emma, he says, "I will go find them. If it gets too dark to see and we don't return, you may wish to send a pair out to retrieve us." He sets down his bow and goes in search of the two missing members based on where he saw them last... he remembers them fighting someone, but had thought Storm had killed the man from behind.

But no more than a minute passes before Cy meets Storm and Edryd at the boulder line. He can see very quickly the weakened state Edryd is in. He offers his fellow warrior his arm for support, giving a nod of respect to Storm. The three of them then slowly trod back toward the campfire, where the others have congregated.

Hannibal is first to see the three arrive. He quickly walks to Storm and pats the stout dwarf on the back. "Well friend, it looks like again we have shed blood in the same mud." Smiling, he shares a chuckle with Storm before gathering his things from the campsite.

Storm nods, "Aye, ye be a nasty shot with that there wood an' string. Heh heh. Ha!" He slaps the thief hard across the back in as friendly a gesture as the unruly dwarf is capable.

Cy helps Edryd sit down on a rock, then addresses him. "Good directing, though a little late. Start at the beginning of the battle. We need the organization."

Storm joins the assembled party and waits, as usual, for the decisions to be made. While they are talking and Storm listens, at one point he suddenly stumbles and loses his balance briefly. He then shakes it off and realizes he's sitll bleeding from several places, and he then, as ruggedly as usual, attends to his wounds, simply tying a piece of cloth over any point that's injured.

Seeing Edryd's pained face, Emma rises from Canter's side and moves herself next to the Paladin. She strokes his back softly while asking him about his wounds, whispering. Then she places her hands on his chest, just as she did with Canter, and begins to pray to their god for the power of healing. A short moment passes, and the glow from her hands fades. Edryd inhales deeply, his face obviously far less pained. (Edryd gains 7 hp, bringing his total back up to 8.)

She then addresses the group as a whole, "Some arrangements will have to be made for bringing along Daran and the injured archer. Perhaps they should be turned over to the first garrison or patrol we meet along the way? Do we have enough horses to carry everyone? What became of this mounted knight's steed? Does it still live? Let's gather our things and move out..."

She begins packing her things once more, slipping into her armor and throwing a cloak about her shoulders in preparation for the storm. She checks to make sure Canter's and Edryd's belongings are also secured and that they can mount their horses.

"Hannibal, will you bring around the horses?" she directs. "The rain should mask our movement and whatever trail we might leave behind. We'll have to move slowly though...I don't want to risk re-opening Canter's or Edryd's wounds."

Cy thinks back to the map and the layout of the land. Is there shelter near here that he knows of? He can't be sure, but he does recall seeing some shallow caves closer to the mountains. He informs the group as Hannibal disappears into the darkness, checking on the horses. The rain begins to fall, lightly at first.

"Good idea," Canter says weakly to Cy. "I sure would like to stay out of the rain as much as I can."

Hannibal then returns to the group, a glum look on his face. "The first wave of arrows struck two of the mounts. And with no one to quickly tend the wounds, they are now far too weak and sickly to travel upon. I'm afraid it's only a matter of hours until they die. That leaves five horses for nine of us," he looks to Daran and the unconscious archer. "Give me a minute and I'll check on Daran's animal..." He jogs off into the darkness toward the boulders.

"Wait! I'll help you!" Emma calls, running off after him.

As they leave, Canter addresses the others. "I just want to thank you all, for coming after me. I...I feel like I owe each of you my life." A tear appears in his eye.

"My friend," Crayne says to Canter with a smile, looking around the group, "What we did for you we did because you are our friend and comrade. And I hope I speak for all of us when I say that what was done for you would be done for any of us." He looks to Cy with the final words. Cy's eyes meet with Crayne's, and then he nods to the mage. Crayne nods back, an unspoken understanding reached between them.

Just then the sound of horse-trotting can be heard over the patterning of the rain. "Coarsey!" Daran calls, a wide smile dressing his face. He rushes over to the approaching Emma and Hannibal, who slow the mare and dismount.

Edryd smiles to Emma and shakes his head. "Milady, is there no wound you can't mend?"

"Let's not find out..." she responds, picking up her heavy pack.

"Okay!" Hannibal announces, "Six horses for nine of us. Those are numbers I think we can work with! Let's get the wounded up first and then let's all of us go. The longer we wait, the greater the chance the enemy will return, and the worse this storm is going to get!"

Packs are gathered, weapons picked up, and armor donned. Crayne gives Emma a look as she hoists the still-unconscious body of the archer onto one of the horses. "I still don't think it wise to take him along."

Emma smiles kindly back. "Perhaps just as wise as taking him along. Hmm?" She motions to Daran, who is kissing and patting Coarsey.

In a few moments, the party is all mounted and ready to ride. With a crash of thunder and a flash of lightning, the rainfall suddenly grows harder and faster. "Let's go!" Emma shouts over the sound of the rain, spurring her horse and holding the archer's limp body in front of her.

The group rides through the night, braving the storm, toward the mountains. After a couple of hours, Cy slows his horse, holding up a hand to signal the others to stop. He points into the distance. "There! You see it? About a hundred yards off the road? Those caves! Let's go!" He doesn't give the others a chance to respond (or argue), instead leading his mount toward the caves.

Soon, the entire party is out of the rain. The horses are tended to, chewing on some of the grass which lies just outside the cave. Camp is made, a fire lit, and things return to a more calm state.

"Aye," Storm begins. "I be takin' the first watch. This here be lookin' more like my neck o' the wood! Y'all get some shut-eye." A few nod in reply.

Canter fumbles lethargically through his pack, taking out two leather strips. He slowly ties one around the archers' hands, securing them behind his back. And he hands the other to his friend Crayne. "Why don't you put these on your friend..."

Crayne nods, and goes off to talk with Daran, convincing him to have his hands manacled. Cy, in the meantime, takes a brief tour of the cave in order to gain a better understanding of their defensive position. In their weakened state, he thinks, the better the natural defenses, the better.

The cave is generally oval in shape, with the entrance cut out of the center of one of the long arcs. The entrance is about three yards wide. The long axis is perhaps ten yards, and the short about five. There don't seem to be any passages off the cave, which appears to Cy to be cut out of the mountainous region by the forces of nature. And no unfriendly animals or creatures in sight.

Satisfied, Cy returns to the group. "You have the first watch, Storm. If you see anything out there, or hear anything, I am the first one to wake." He then turns to the others. "Let's all get some sleep. We still have a long journey ahead of us."

1. HP Status:

Crayne: 7, Canter: 3, Cy: 15, Storm: 6, Emma: 8, Hannibal: 9, Edryd: 8.

2. What next? Has it been decided that you'll dump the archer with the next patrol you come across? What about Daran? How long will you keep him with the group? Any specific actions before bed, in the morning, or on the road?

3. XP Receipts will be along shortly. Tonight or tomorrow.

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