Part 21 “Somnopathy”

This is a pretty rough spot. Now the enemy has the outer walls, and we have to hold the second gate. You see, this is exactly why you don't use a cheese portcullis, melts in the sun, and then the backup gets eaten away by rats. It looks like we can hold them here though. The war-priests are keeping us in good condition, and their blessings of strength are helping us hold the gate while our archers take out some of the mass of enemies. I can hear The Captain calling out targets for the archers and positions for the war-priests to attend to. Occasionally our resident mage unleashes a cascade of flames or a burst of lightning amongst the enemy wherever their men group tightly. We can hold them here.

The fighting continues. Something's different now, though. Why isn't The Captain calling out orders anymore? I didn't hear anyone cry out that he's been hit, and nobody is taking his place of command. Where did he go, what's going on? The archers while still firing are less focused on those mounting the outer walls and taking the gates at the sides. Blast it, if they get through there we'll have to guard the western and southern gates as well. The mage is probably growing weary, he's resorting to less powerful spells taking out smaller groups. He ought to be able to keep the spells coming regularly though, I've heard they aren't tiring to cast at all.

The rush of strength from the most recent of the war-priest's blessings fade. Another one isn't laid upon us though. Are they gone too? Perhaps they've moved to help defend the other gates. We're slowly getting pressed back though now.

Arrows stop raining from our side of the battlefield. Did someone get through are they on the wall? I can't hear any cries from above. Perhaps we're preparing to withdraw to the keep. The archers would have to get in first. We aren't holding this gate much longer, the men to my sides are getting tired as the injuries start to build up.

The small scale bursts of magic energy and frost cease. The men and I fall back to the keep's gate. I don't hear anyone else in there, though. Where did everyone go? I don't see any bodies on the walls. They didn't die up there. The enemy continues their press. Is it just our line left of the defense?

How long have I been fighting? I remember the line breaking, the men retreating into the keep. Disorder, a room, a doorway. Now I'm here, in a small room. A single doorway, men come in and fall to my blade. Archers fire, either missing or glancing off of my armor. Another one down, and another. Just me, my sword, my armor, shelves of tiny glass figurines, and a press of enemy infantry. I don't feel tired though, I feel as though I could keep this up all day. My sword disappears just as I'm about to parry a spear thrust.

I wake up in my tavern room. Covered in blood, corpses on the ground, and severed limbs scattered about. A city watchman breaks the door open.

Part 20 “Doing a Job” =Derreck=

Here I am again... I really never should have shown that trick crossbow shot in front of the Brothers. Ever since then they've had me sit on a roof near every one of their blasted hits. This wasn't ever supposed to be my job, it's cold, dangerous, tiring, and risky. 'Oh, hey guys, Derreck the lookout is great with a crossbow. Did you see him hit that bulls-eye from a hundred paces, with one hand? We should get him to run insurance on some of our hits.'

Look there goes a watchman on patrol, is that the same one? Is he only rounding this block? Hope he can't see me over here... Where are the Blades? Moe is almost always late but the other guy should be here by now. Wait, there they are, that's a good spot. The guard is around the corner now, he's on the wrong side of the inn and he's stopped there for a few minutes every round.

Haven't seen any movement since the mark went into his room, but I can't see the bed from here, I figure he's asleep. I give them the signal to go for it. I'll give this job that much, getting to use this night sight ring is pretty neat. Everything is all sharp looking, like all the shade in the world just decided to up and leave.

Loading a bolt into the my crossbow and aiming for the window, now, also hoping this job'll be boring. Wait, a third, and a fourth Blade? Didn't even know we had four blades on this job. Don't know the other guys, guess it's Eeney Meeney Miney and Moe then, huh? What did this mark do? Glad I'm not him. The Blades descend the wall on ropes from the rooftop, and Eeney makes quick work of the window's lock. Well, they're in. Three of them stand back and watch as Miney moves out of my view toward the bed, guess he is asleep. That's good. That means I, once again, won't actually have to do anything but be the lookout.

There's what must have been a flash of something, the whole room went a little blue there. Some sort of spell? Hard to tell with the night sight ring. There a buzzing and a scream. All of the Blades pull their knives, Eeney's doesn't even make it out of the sheath before a long blade sweeps from out near the bed, crackling with lightning, and takes off his arm.

The hell?

Meeney dodges toward the mark ducking under a swing, and out of my view. There's a clang and a knife spins past the window and bounces off the wall. That watchman heard those, he's heading into the inn now. Shit, come into view! I can't see him from here, I can't very well shoot this guy if you don't get him to come near the window.

Then Moe dashes for the window. I can't get a clear shot as the mark comes up behind him and, well, Moe's head made it out the window. Surprisingly little blood now that I think of it... He raises that huge sword almost casually. By the Three! He just looked right at me, how can he see me from there? He looks pissed. I shoot, the bolt bounces off his sword, damn that was a hasty shot, calm down, I can get another off before he's even out the door. The mark starts to move toward the door as I reload.

My string is cut and I'm pulled to the ground as someone presses a dagger, hey that's my dagger, to my neck.

“I give, I give. Don't kill me please.”

“I don't plan to, but I will if you don't feel like delivering this to your bosses. Tell them that if anyone's going to assassinate that one, it'll be me when I deem it necessary. I don't take kindly to others infringing on my marks.” His face is covered by a plain, round mask all I can see are his eyes, the hand not on my dagger proffers a playing card. It's a king of swords, and it's been stabbed through with a knife, right on the neck, on both sides. “Tell your bosses if they don't want these on their pillows they won't send anyone else after this one.”

“Y-yes, let me go.” He lets go of the dagger, grabs a pendant he's wearing, and disappears. I pick up the card and my dagger. I run.

Part 19 “Establishing Intent”

I take a drink as she offers the platter of bread and cheese, the beer that was set out is better than the stuff being served at the counter. The bread and cheese only compliment it. I need to calm down, I can't see what she is trying to get at. She looks pleased about something, though. Does she expect me to just start telling her of every retreat now that she'd pulled that out of me?

“Why?”

“Hm?”

“Why bother talking to me about this? I was thinking that you were pulling me along to tell you more, give you something to work with, tell you some stories that you could blow out of proportion. But you haven't asked me to tell you anything. Clearly you already know what you need to, so why?”

“Fine, I'll give you a little to ease your mind,” she coos in sympathy and purses her lips, “There's something that makes a good bard a great bard, and that would be knowing people. There's a big difference between knowing about someone and knowing someone. Our little exchange is letting me get to know you. That's really all I have to tell you on the matter, I can't let you in on all the bardic secrets, now.” Her stress on the word 'know' and her smirk at the end...

“There are about to be a lot more stories about me circulating around, aren't there?” I should probably get going, I don't need her getting more out of me than she already has, whatever that might be. I begin to stand.

“It depends, you are very interesting, but there are also others. Knowing what to put into verse is the other part of being a bard, and I still have a lot to sort through when it comes to you. It'll be fun to find out where you go from here,” she stands almost in synch with me, “While it isn't my place to interfere much in your story, I will leave you with a few words of advice. Take care of yourself, you aren't in The Emerald Dragons right now, you don't have a medic around to patch up your scratches, you do get scratches now and again, right? I would suggest Dimner Glamerfont's Goods, right across the way from Dartac's, he sells some fairly potent healing poultices at a fair price. Wouldn't want your story cut short by an infected scratch in the woods, now, that wouldn't be very heroic at all... Well now, I will bid you good night.” She leaves the back room, patting my shoulder as she passes. I decide to sit again and have a bit more to drink before following.

The house is full tonight, the innkeep doesn't have a spare room without windows. Some merchants from the west paid extra for the ones he already had. Well I guess I'll be staying vigilant, tonight.

He asks for that story again, but I really have nothing to follow that up with. He understands, and Donja is starting up a song of the ancient Bijaucian Empire as I leave the counter.

I lock the window and sit down holding my sword, whetting the blade to stave off sleep. My body has other plans...