Chapter 4
“Encounter at the Dragonstooth”
10-15-2007 Edited by Chrisy Demaroney
11-2-2007 Edited by Ian Shirm
12-7-2007 Edited by Ian Shirm
(Old chapters 9-10)
The next day at dawn Dekari, Aiken, Firatri, Ancus, Dredskif, Dorlum, Torto, Kane, Draven, Appius, and Appius’s two brothers Aulus and Lepidus prepared for the trek to the large agricultural city of Mohawk.
Dekari took the remaining 1500 gold pieces and placed them in a chest in the back of the wagon .The Ironfist brothers had over sixty horses on the ranch, of which each man took one. Dekari and Aiken and the four mercenaries each took two horses, one for riding and one for pack.
Aiken put on his suit of band-mail, slipped his longsword, in its sheath onto his left hip and his shortsword on his right, Then his gladius on his belt behind his saber and placed his longbow on the front seat of the wagon.
Dekari put on his father’s plate-mail and fitted his broadsword on his left hip, a shortsword on his back and his war hammer on his right hip. He placed his medium crossbow on the front seat of the wagon and fitted a quarrel of bolts on his left thigh.
“Aiken,” Firatri said. Your grandfather Marcus left this chest here to cover any expenses of the trip,” Firatri said.
Firatri, who had just come from the barn, set down a small chest in front of Aiken and Dekari and opened it. The small chest had rubies, diamonds, pearls, gold rings, and platinum pieces.
“Its value is near 10,000 gold,” Firatri said. “If the king of Kulan killed Bruce, I would fear for him if Marcus knew. I think he expects the two of you to prove yourselves to him and yourselves. Also he probably wants to get you off the farm and out into the world.”
“Understandable,” Dekari said.
“Marcus also gave me two items, one for each of you. Both are magic and both are heirlooms of the House of Ironfist. Dekari, this golden sword is entrusted to you. It was your father’s.” Firatri handed a golden broadsword with a leather sheath to Dekari. The sheath had designs on both sides with gold banding on each end.
“Feels as if it doesn’t even weight five pounds.” Dekari said
“That is one of the intended purposes of the weapon,” Firatri said. “You will learn its abilities as you use it. The sword ‘Justice’ was made by a Paladin Blacksmith and an old cleric. It’s a holy weapon that is intended for the same purpose as its name.”
Dekari looked at the symbols on both sides of the blade. “Know what these letters spell?” Dekari asked.
“They spell the word ‘Justice’ in an ancient tongue,” Firatri said. “I also have an item from Bruce to Aiken which was to be entrusted to him upon Bruce’s death.”
“What is it?” Aiken asked.
“A Gladius. This weapon was crafted by the same Paladin and the same cleric as ‘Justice‘.” Firatri said as he handed the shortsword to Aiken. “This blade is made of iron with an iron hilt and an ivory handle. Its name is ‘Retribution’. This blade was made to be wielded by one who was seeking justified vengeance. The blade will turn black once it kills anything evil and will make it much more difficult for them to enter either of the Heavens. The blade will put a mark on the soul of anyone evil that is killed with it. Once their soul reaches Draxis in Purgatory, he will see the mark.”
Firatri handed the shortsword ’Retribution’ to Aiken.
“Same deal with the weight as Dekari’s sword, I gather?” Aiken said
“Yes. It probably feels as if it weighs around 6 or 7 pounds,” Firatri said.
“Indeed it does,” Aiken said.
“On our way to Greendale I need to stop at a ranch close by and ask a friend to supervise the help and point the 10 laborers in the right direction.” Dekari said.
“We should be leaving soon while its still dark,” Aiken said. “It’s a few days travel to Mohawk.”
“Very well. All ready?” Firatri asked.
“Yes,” Ancus said who had been standing by listening to the conversation, but chose to remain out of it.
“I’m ready,” Dekari said
“I am as well,” Aiken said.
Aiken climbed into the seat on the wagon and slowly started making their way off the ranch. Aiken’s red cloak floated around him, the wind giving it wings. Aiken looked more imposing than Dekari or Firatri even though they were much bigger. White was symbolic of Purity, and though Dekari and Firatri were both huge men and heavily armed, it would be widely recognized that they were aligned with all that was good. Aiken, on the other hand, wore the Kulan band-mail and left the weapons he had used before in favor of a Longsword, the Gladius ‘Retribution‘, Throwing Knives, a Heavy Recurve bow, a long hunting knife. Over his red cloak, a quiver of arrows hung upon his back.
Firatri and Ancus followed behind them, and Dredskif rode behind the two of them on his Clydesdale. Next was Draven, Appius, Aulus, and Lepidus. Dorlum and Torto were riding in the back of the wagon. They were too slow to keep up with the horses.
Dekari had insisted on riding a horse and not in the wagon after his last experience. They passed the fenced in yards of the livestock as they made their way up the large hill onto the path, a formidable sight.
Firatri wore steel plate-mail painted white from head to foot, had a broadsword, mace, Morningstar, war hammer and three spears on a light custom build rack on the side of his large mount. Firatri also wore a silver ring of protection, as did all Paladins.
Dekari, similarly dressed. Dekari wore his father’s steel plate-mail, a large bronze round shield and a great helm with a light blue cloak over his armor. His broadsword ‘Justice‘ sheathed at his left hip, a shortsword sheathed at his right hip, a warhammer hung from a leather strap on his belt, and his medium crossbow hung from a leather strap on his horse.
Dredskif Bolthorpe was a fearsome looking fighter. He stood over eight feet tall and weighed nearly 400 pounds. He was a member of the half man half bull race, his skin blood red and he had black horns which extended skyward, his horns a foot and a half long and six inches in diameter at the base. Dredskif had a two-handed longsword at his hip, a large mace, and a machete at his other hip. He had a large wooden round shield that was iron-bound and hide armor covering his torso and legs from the knee up. He was in possession of Bracers of Haste. These iron bracers had runes of magic upon them and gave the minotaur the ability of rapid movement at certain intervals. He also had a jug hanging from his bent, which contained an elixer of health. Dredskif had aquired it from an herbalist who said that the drink gave good health and healed wounds.
Torto and Dorlum, who sat in the back of the wagon, both wielded double-bladed battleaxes. Though they were Dwarves, their races were natural rivals. There had been war from the year 1250 to the year 1324 between the Palaxis Hill Dwarves and the Haraxis Mountain Dwarves. The 74 year long war had cost the lives of many Dwarves. The Mt. Dwarves had enlisted Minotaur mercenaries and the Hill Dwarves had enlisted barbarian mercenaries and many barbarians and minotaur had died as well.
Torto and Dorlum had known each other for many years, and though they would have liked to kill each other in the beginning they argued incessantly though they would put their lives on the line for one another.
Draven, Appius, Aulus and Lepidus were also intimidating. They were hired mercenaries, and the jobs they took were everything from robbery, murder, war and guard duty. Because of their line of work, they were armed to the teeth and had the demeanor of killers.
Thus the occasional traveler passing on the backwoods paths gave the party of twelve a wide girth, since their power could not be mistaken.
After about two hours travel on rough terrain, they reached a large farm. They passed fields of corn, potatoes, vegetables, then several apple orchards. As they neared a large farmhouse next to the path, Dekari slowed the wagon.
On the front porch sat a large man who had what looked to be a permanent tan. The man wore overalls and sat with a loaded heavy crossbow near him and a longsword on his hip. He also had a whip on his belt.
“Hi there, Numa,” Dekari said
“Hello,” the plantation owner said.
“My father was killed recently,” Dekari said. “Would you mind keeping an eye on the farm for a while?” Dekari asked.
“Not at all, how did your father die?” Numa said
“He was murdered by assassins,” Dekari said
“Sorry for your loss, your father was a great man,” Numa said
“I’m not sure when I’ll be back. It could be a while and the farm might incur upkeep costs. I recently hired 10 ranch-hands so there will be laborers to keep track of,” Dekari said
“I’ll do it for 20 gold,” Numa said
“Agreed.” Dekari said.
Dekari untied a small sac from his belt and counted out 20 gold, then dropped down off his horse and walked over to Numa.
“If the 20 gold isn’t enough for expenses while were gone, write me out a bill, and when I get back and I’ll pay it,” Dekari said.
“Very well,” Numa said
“Thanks again,” Dekari said and he pulled himself up, into his saddle. “Farewell. When we return I’ll stop by here.”
“Might I ask where your headed?” Numa asked.
“Better if you don’t know.” Firatri said.
“All right.” Numa said.
Aiken snapped the reigns, and the party proceeded towards Greendale.
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In the Dragonstooth Tavern in Greendale, twelve men sat around two tables, six men at each.
A drunken rogue took a sip of a fresh mug of ale and hollered “Worthless bartender! Damn ale is watered down.”
“Shut-up, Armond. It just doesn’t taste as strong because your drunk,” a Blood Elf, sitting at the same table, said.
Blood elves were renown for unfavorable temperaments and a racial tendency towards evil. It was nearly impossible to find a good natured Blood Elf.
“Do you understand the concept of keeping a low profile?” the Blood Elf said to Armond.
This prompted Armond to mumble something under his breath. He took a huge swig from his mug and muttered something more about cheap bartenders and watered down ale.
“Perhaps he's feeling a little overconfident from having wounded Bruce, “a human fighter at the table said in a low voice.
“Owen, you’re just sore cause Bruce landed a blow with his war-hammer and messed up your shoulder,” Armond said in a voice that was too loud for the sensitive nature of their conversation.”
The look of rage and a glare from the Blood Elf directed towards Armond silenced the rogue.
“We should leave before this fool gets us caught,” said the human fighter.
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Owen. Once Armond gets hell from the Guildmaster he’ll realize the errors of his ways. Or possibly he won’t get another opportunity to run his drunken mouth,” the Blood Elf said.
“All the same I‘d like to get away from this area as fast as possible,” Owen said. “Pyyth, we’ve been waiting five hours for the other four to show up. I don’t think their coming. If they do come here and see were not here, they know their way back to the city.”
“I talked to Alreen Atril’Arnaer Tarahonal for quite some time before we left,” Owens sister Kara said. “Bruce had two sons. It’s possible that they had some friends with them and killed the four. When we were leaving the ranch, my idiot brother Owen called Armond by name. The more his name is used, the higher the chance of us getting caught.”
“Thanks a lot Owen, you bumbling oaf. Now I must watch my back more than ever. Do me a favor, call me Sir, not Armond!”
“The day I call your ignorant drunk ass Sir is the day I tuck my tail between my legs and hide behind the skirt of a woman,” Owen said.
“Both of you, shutup,” Pyyth said. “Alreen put me in charge of this mission for a reason.”
“Because you’re his son you mean?” Armond said.
“No you moron, to keep you and Owen from thinking or acting. Just do what you’re told and we shouldn’t get caught before we leave town,” Pyyth said.
“The day I take orders from a bastard Blood Elf is the day that will never come,” Armond said.
“We’ve waited long enough. For once I think Owens right. Get your stuff together. We leave in one hour,” Pyyth said.
(Old start of Chapter 10)
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As Aiken, Dekari and their entourage neared town, Aiken, who was driving the wagon, brought it to a halt alongside the path which was steadily turning into road covered with gravel.
“I have a plan,” Aiken said. “From here out, we split into two groups. I will take one group and look for the guild under the guise of Mercenaries looking for work. I’ll take Dorlum, Dredskif, Kane, Draven and the three Serpentis brothers. We will ride by horse, with two extra horses for pack. None of us will acknowledge Dekari, Ancus, Torto or Firatri if we bump into each other after Greendale anywhere along the way to Mohawk or in the city. Once we’ve reached Mohawk I’ll leave a letter at the City Hall building for Dekari to pick up. It will say where we are staying and leave instructions. My plan is to infiltrate the Assassins’ guild as Mercenaries looking for work. Once we have gained enough intelligence about the enemy, we will meet, storm their guild, and kill all we find.” Aiken turned to Dekari.
“You four take the wagon,” Aiken said. “Cover the two chests with cloth or hay or something so that people don’t see them and grow curious about the contents. I’ll take the 1,500 gold with me to cover expenses. Once we’re in Mohawk, we might come across a guild of 100 assassins, and we’ll need to hire some more men.”
Dekarin nodded that he understood.
“Have Firatri and Ancus ride on horseback with Torto in the wagon. Also, take one of your horses in case you need one for an emergency,” Aiken said.
“Not necessary,” Dekari said. “There are two horses pulling the wagon. If anything comes up, I’ll ride one of them and use the other one for a pack animal, or to carry Torto.”
“I’m not riding one of these mangy beasts. I’d rather walk!” Torto said
“I Don’t think you can walk as fast as a horse can run, Torto,” Dekari said.
“Very well,” said Aiken. “We’ll head into Greendale first then you follow in a few hours. Dekari and I will be recognized in our hometown as brothers, but apart it will be harder for us to be recognized.”
“Sounds like a decent enough plan to me,” Dekari said.
“And if you’re found out by the Guildmaster before you apply to work for him?” Firatri said.
“We can’t let that happen. I’ll travel under the alias Dante Augur,” Aiken said.
“In seven days look for a note from Dante to Dekari at the city hall in Mohawk,” Aiken said.
“I will,” Dekari said.
“Farewell, Aiken,” Firatri said. “I‘ll pray to Paial to protect you and to help you dispense justice. I will pray to Calimar to imbue in you wisdom. I will also pray to Draxis and ask him to protect his great-grandson.”
“Thank you,” Aiken said
With a quick jab, Aiken dug the heal of his boot into the horse and broke into a gallop, with the seven Mercenaries in tow.
Half an hour later they rode into Greendale. Aiken led the way to the small stable in the adjoining building to the Dragonstooth.
“Pick up whatever supplies you need for the trip,” Aiken said. “We’ll be leaving in one hour. Dredskif and Dorlum, guard the horses for the first thirty minutes. Then Draven and Kane can watch them for the thirty minutes before we leave.”
“All right,” Dorlum said.
Dredskif gave a sharp nod, and Draven and Kane both agreed. The Party split apart and each went their separate ways. Dredskif, the huge minotaur and Dorlum the short dwarf watched their horses.
Aiken walked into the Dragonstooth Tavern, made his way up to the bar with Draven beside him. Otic saw them and approached them with a nod.
“How’s it going Otic, you have more business than usual,” Aiken commented nodding towards two tables of six men each.
“Rude and loud business. I’d rather no business than rude business. A few of them are drunk and rowdy. They’re chasing away my regulars. No one wants to sit down to a hot meal and an ale and listen to this rabble.”
“Oh?” Aiken said
“This might interest you,” Otic said. “One of the barmaids overheard one fellow. He was bragging about having killed a man. She said she’s overheard them calling him Owen. Another man, Armond she said had been bragging about cutting off the man’s hand before Owen interrupted his fun.”
“Come closer,” Aiken said to Otic. “I believe them to be the ones who killed my father. Don’t tell anyone what you just told me. I’m going to get the rest of my party and we’ll deal with them when they come out. Don’t water down the ale, try to get them drunk, even if its free ale. I’ll reimburse you for any costs you incur.”
“All right.” Otic said. The look in Otic’s eyes went from irritated to worried as he locked eyes with Aiken and saw the rage that Aiken was trying to keep a leash on. Aiken downed his ale and walked outside with Draven.
Once outside, Aiken said to Draven, “Go and get everyone together in the stables. I saw a lot of horses in there, we’ll surprise them when they come to get their horses. Shouldn’t take you long to find them all. Tell them that we’ve luckily stumbled across the men that killed my father, and they’ve been drinking for a while.”
“Will do,” Draven said, slowly pulling a knot out of the bottom of his foot-long braided black goatee. Draven had been a mercenary for the last thirty years. From the time he was sixteen until now at his current age of fortysix, Draven had worked as a Thief, then a Mercenary with several guilds. His thirty years of mercenary experience left him well-traveled. Draven had a quiet, reserved way about him and usually exercised great restraint and discipline. When the time for rash action arose, Draven was known by other mercenaries in Greendale to never shy away from cold, brutal murder. From birth to his sixteenth year, Draven had grown up in the Beaver clan of Heath’Goth after that he had killed a man, stole his weapons and fled the north.
“I’m going to ride hard towards my brother and tell him to meet us at the tavern stables.” Aiken said. “If they leave the tavern, don’t engage them. Tell me which way they went when I get back.” Aiken said.
“Ok,” Draven said.
Aiken rode hard, pushing the endurance of his mount to its limits to show up at the same spot where he had left his brother, Ancus, Torto and Firatri, finding them there.
“You haven’t left yet?” Aiken said as he pulled his horse to a rapid halt before the four men.
“That’s fairly hypocritical,” Firatri said. “Your plan called us to wait here for a few more hours, then you come back and complain that we listened to you?”
“New plan. I just talked to Otic,” Aiken said. “The eight men who left the house that day father died and four more are in town at the Dragonstooth. I came to get you. We need to leave now. One is named Armond. Remember Dekari? One who splashed mud on me. If we get back there soon, we can fight them on friendly ground.”
“What are we waiting for?” Dekari asked snapping his reigns, heading to town at a roaring speed, the wagon bouncing in all directions from the rough gravel road. Torto in the back holding onto the side-rail of the wagon for dear life. Ancus and Firatri drove their horses to match Dekari’s speed and Aiken raced past his brother, leaving the three of them behind as he drove his horse as hard and as fast as he could.
Soon, Aiken arrived in town on his fatigued steed. He walked the horse to behind the Dragonstooth, lowered himself from his mount and led his horse around the side of the building opposite the tavern, then inside the stables. To Aikens luck, the twelve horses of the assassins were still in the stable, and the seven men in his party were there waiting.
“What have they been up to for the last hour?” Aiken asked the group.
“We’ve been going in one at a time for a few ales. Four of them went upstairs with whores and the remaining eight are still at the table drinking and eating,” Kane said.
“Looks as if they’re getting ready to leave soon, though.” Dorlum said in his gruff voice.
“I agree. I overheard one, by the name of Pyyth say that they were going to be leaving shortly,” Appius said.
“Did you find your brother and the other three?” Dredskif asked.
“Yes, they should be here shortly,” Aiken said
“These plainsmen will meet their doom once they stagger into this stable.” Dredskif said. “Short, weak plainsmen are no challenge. I didn’t hear to much about Bruce or the assassination, they were mostly just bullshiting when I was in. But I did hear that Bruce got six of them before they brought him down. They must have circled him. Half of Bruce’s blood runs in your veins Aiken as well as your Brother. If your father can kill six of them the twelve of us shouldn’t have a problem with them.”
“Where's Aulus?” Aiken asked.
“His turn to eavesdrop,” Kane said.
Several minutes later, they saw Dekari pull the wagon inside a large open room of the stable. Firatri and Ancus walked their horse's in and tied them off near the troth. Torto hopped down off the back of the wagon, being dizzy from the rough ride he looked as if he might fall over. Torto rearranged his clothes and armor from being jostled in the back of the wagon and threw up in the corner of the large room.
Before Dekari could say anything, Aulus entered the stables and walked back to the rest of the men. Aulus looked like he had just seen an apparition of Xrakisis.
“Things just got worse. Another ten assassins just showed up. I was walking back to the stables and overheard them say something about meeting twelve in there. They’re headed this way now.” Aulus said.
Aiken looked at the group of men and said, “Dekari, Firatri, Dredskif and Draven if you three stand behind that wall over there. Its dark, you can see through the wall and you wont be seen from the other side. Once they are all inside, press a full attack. Ancus, Appius, Aulus, Lepidus, Kane, and myself will go out the back and circle around the front and flank them. Dorlum and Torto, hide over there behind that large pile of hay, that way the two of you can jump out and surprise the last ones through the door. Use your ears and as soon as the fighting starts, join in here.” Everyone followed Aiken’s instructions. Aiken, Kane, Ancus, Appius, Aulus, and Lepidus snuck out the back.
Aiken and his wing of five other men sat around the side of the stables, on the side of the Dragonstooth opposite from the tavern. Aiken watched as the ten heavily armed assassins got off their horses and began walking them inside. After the tenth man entered the stables Aiken instructed Kane, Ancus, Appius, Aulus and Lepidus to follow him. Aiken stopped by the entrance to the stables and waited, soon he heard a battle-cry from Dredskif.
“Now!” Aiken yelled and his six men rushed in the entrance.
Two dwarves came in from one side and Dekari, Firatri, Dredskif and Draven charged the other.”
The ten surprised assassins began to fumble for weapons, the most disciplined among them drawing them as soon as they heard Dredskif. The huge Minotaur came at the mass with a broad swing of his two-handed longsword, cutting off the head of one of the men, with the blade sliding through the shoulder of the taller man next to him. Dredskif held the sword with one hand, and in one fluid motion, drew his machete and cut off his other arm, blood spraying across the Minotaur.
Two of the assassins pressed attacks against Dredskif, which he easily parried. He followed with a third swing to keep them farther away. Luckily, with his long arms and his even longer blade had caught the chest of another man, the blade sinking in from left to right, killing a third.
The two dwarves sprang out from behind the hay, Torto from the left and Dorlum from the right. Both dwarves swung axes into the same man, sending chunks of flesh and ribs splattering against everything in a four foot radius.
As Aulus charged with his longsword for a left to right swing, the assassin he was bent on attacking swung up a medium crossbow and fired it into his face. As Aulus fell forward, the assassin drew a hunting knife and buried it into Aulus’s side and roughly pulled it out, spilling guts on the floor. Aulus dropped to the ground dead.
Aulus’s two brothers, both in a state of shock, were consumed with fury and hacked down the assassin that had killed their brother.
Dekari yelled a battle-cry and swung his golden broadsword ‘Justice’ in a short precise arc, decapitating one man. He spun and swung in a wider arch, cleaving off both of another assassins legs.
With the vision of victory at the end of a tunnel, Aiken and Dekari and their group, now eleven men, closed in on the four. From outside the twelve other assassins, now inebriated rushed into the stable.
Noticing that among the assassins was a female Dekari and Firatri both dropped back a few feet and made attempts to fight men, having strong reservations about killing a woman.
The female assassin, Kara, noticed this and rushed Dekari with a shortsword in both hands. Dredskif, who held no such notion of chivalry, landed a solid blow with his two-handed longsword, killing Kara. Owen, Kara’s brother, of shorter stature than the barbarians in the room charged the Minotaur.
Dekari was almost relieved to have a target that he would feel no remorse in killing. Dredskif parried Owens attack and as Dekari rushed Owen, he saw out of the corner of his eye Draven hurl two throwing knives at Owen. Both knives stuck with less than lethal damage, though enough to stun Owen temporarily. Dekari, seeing his opportunity, drove his golden broadsword into Owen’s gut, killing him.
Slightly startled, Dekari flinched as Dredskif stepped within a foot of Dekari and the remaining assassins. A spear struck Dredskif’s wooden shield and buried itself.
“Thanks,” Dekari said.
“You can repay me sometime,” Dredskif said, his action relaying to Dekari the fearlessness of the Minotaur.
Aiken fell back to the shadows and began rapidly firing heavy recurve arrow shots. Aiken stuck arrows in four men, wounding them. Four of the remaining ten assassins rushed Aiken. Aiken fired a last shot into one of the four rushing assassins necks, leaving Aiken with three. Aiken drew his one-handed-longsword in his right hand and his ivory handled Gladius ‘Retribution’ in his off-hand.
“Retribution strike true,” Aiken whispered before leaping over the bail of hay. He made wide, sweeping swings with his longsword, to keep his opponents at a safe distance. While fighting Aiken’s main goal was to stay alive and keep the three of them from advancing too far and catching him off guard. One of the men took a throwing knife in the thigh and another in the calf of the same leg as Draven prepared to throw two more. Seeing his opportunity, Aiken drove the Gladius hilt-deep into the man’s chest. The blade changed to black and a look of terrible horror crossed the mans eyes. The look the man made as he died sent a shiver up Aiken’s spine, and he instinctively backed several paces.
“Aiken! Get it together!” Dekari yelled.
As Aiken regained composure, he noticed the blade from an assassin in mid-arch towards him. He parried with his Gladius, took a quick step forward, and used the man’s momentum as well as his strength to drive his Retribution into the mans gut. Once the enchanted Gladius was hilt deep, Aiken gave it a rough twist and yanked it free, the man dropping dead at Aikens feet, with another expression of utter horror. The two Dwarves were working as a team, which was almost unheard of. They stood four feet apart and came at an assassin at the same time. The two Dwarves had great success and cut down two more of the assassins, with both of their attacks in unison.
The Blood Elf Pyyth nal'Alsel Tarahonal wielded two sabers and had gotten isolated in the fight with none of his men around him. Pyyth parried blades from Draven, Lepidius, Appius all at the same time. Although Pyyth had been an assassin for over 40 years, and though he was very experianced, he still could see no chance of escaping from the overwhelming odds against him. As he slowly backed away from the three he was fighting, Kane, a Crimson Elf, snuck up behind him. Elves were excellent at moving without making any noise from the start, but Kane had a rare item that thousands of years ago had been made in quantity. Kane wore a grey chameleon robe. The robe changed color based on what was behind the wearer to make him almost invisible. The Robe also allowed Kane to move without making a sound. He concentrated on the color of the wooden wall and became near invisible to the naked eye. He brought up a shortsword, standing only three feet behind Pyyth and drove the shortsword with a lunge and a powerful thrust into Pyyths back.
Kane whispered into Pyyths ear “Know that it was a Crimson Elf that killed you, wretched Blood Elf.” before roughly pulling the sword free and stepping back.
Surprised since they hadn’t seen Kane, but aware of what happened, Draven, Lepidius and Appius closed in and drove their blades into Pyyth.
The remaining assassins were vastly outnumbered and were summarily cut down with great haste from the remaining members of Aikens group.
“Well, twenty-two horses between them and five mules for pack animals,” Aiken said. “For all the mercenaries involved in this incursion, there will be a large bonus. Each of you take two of the horses and all the gear from the dead. I want the horses, the saddles, and all the tack. You may pick through the bodies for anything you might be interested in. If it’s documents, magic items, or maps, I claim them. If you killed the man, you are welcome to anything he owns money, armor and weapon-wise. Each of you take two of the horses and if you can take a mule. The animals are going to the ranch. We can decide from there what to do after this.”
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