As Lanthios stumbled out of the rain-filled forest with Layla, he looked disheveled, while he handled out the four vials for the apothecary and said:
{Suncrown village is no more, it burned down to the last humble of rock…}
[sigh, I told you not to get close! Now look at you! I was wondering why you both look like a mess!] said the Apothecary as she studied the pair closely and continued
[I'm not going to thank you for what you did, and I don't want to hear about it! I'm a guest in these lands and an undead one at that! I already have to deal with the odd looks the elves give me, so I don't want to invite more trouble than I need to!
However, I suggest you make haste to tranquillien and let them know as soon as possible! They may reward you for your efforts or…]
{Or what?} asked Lanthios
[or seek compensation depending on the damages…] replied the Apothecary
Just hearing the word compensation uttered in this universe, set Lanthios's mind into a frenzy…
{Compensation! For what? Opening up free real estate? If they demand anything other than giving me some gear, there'll going to get a sword in their gut!}
But while the pair were resting up at the apothecary abode, high Executor Mavren made it to Suncrown with his escort:
[High Executor! The fire has consumed everything… we could only discern that a battle had occurred but with all the bodies charcoal black we cannot identify anything worthy!] said an escort guard
[is there really nothing at all? What do you think…miss Valwyn?] replied Mavren
[this was not done by any trolls…if that what you're asking… but… Vor'el ... You're an apprentice of the magistrate. What are your thoughts?] asked Valwyn
[umm… the mana… umm… the arcane energy…. yes….] replied Vor'el to himself in murmurs
[well! Spit it out already!] demand Mavren as he got tired of the mage's constant babble
[Alright but remember this is just an apprentice opinion! If you want something more concrete then we'll need one of the magistrates to come here in person, but anyway, I digress, the arcane energy that I am sensing seems to have come from a mage that is exceptional in fire magic… then there is this hint of holy magic… either a priest or a paladin must have been here…
But that's strange…. I haven't heard of any new blood knights visiting Ghostland's recently…and the few that we do have here at Tranqullien never leave…] replied Vor'el
But while Marvin and his team were undergoing their investigation, the shadows in the bushes began to move… As the sentinel spies planned their Ambush!
[but leader, should we really be doing this? Wasn't our order to prioritize the gnoll and his companion?] asked the sentinel infiltrator
[yes, those are our orders, and we will execute them, when we kill the high executor! Now, listen, the high executor never leaves his damn base! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get rid of annoyance!] replied the leader
[but mam… if we kill him won't the horde come after us in force?] replied the infiltrator
[No! That is why this is a perfect time to strike! You see out here in a field filled with zombies and monsters… anything can happen! We just need to make it look like they got done in by Nerubian spiders!] replied the leading sentinel with a grin
While the shadow concealed deadly arrows and poison-tipped daggers, the high executor and his team were cut off guard as shadow-tipped arrows rained into undead guards!
[Ambush!] yelled the Silvermoon guards as they spun their twisting magic blades at night elves!
[what!] screamed Valwyn as she hid behind one of her guards as she was not much of a fighter.
But while she panicked, Marvin smirked as he took out his sword and spun in a whirlwind instantly killing two rogues in stealth!
[fools! Do you stupid elves not know us undead can sense the living? That I couldn't smell the whims of your poisoned tipped daggers!
But while he enjoyed killing the living, many elves pop out of the ruined buildings and fire like ghosts! With primal savagery in their eyes, the charge unafraid of death! The high executor just laughed at their puny attempts as he showed them the true martial prowess of a warrior!
But as many as he cut down, many more were there, ready to take up their place! Blood and fire rage! while dark shadows attempt to assassinate the weak and the feeble! With tiredness and a blue mana barrier that hummed weakly, Vor'el said through volleys of frost bolts:
[High executor! Theres to many!]
[well, do something then! You're a mage are you not!] called back Marvin as he rendered his sword out of the guts of a sentinel!
[yes, I'm a mage but I'm nearing my limit here!] replied Vor'el!
[Can't you tear open an arcane rift back to tranquility! Or have the magistrate taught you nothing!] yelled Valwyn and she shakenly held onto a fallen soldier's sword.
[I…. yes… I think I can!] called back Vor'el
[you think or you know?] called back Valwyn
[Valwyn shut it! Vor'el just do it!] commanded Marvin
With a nod, Vor'el didn't waste a second more and began his cast, but while he channeled his mana, he left himself vulnerable! A weakness the elves wanted to capitalize on, at all costs!
[Hurry! Kill that mage! Don't let them escape! Don't let our sister's death be in vain! Today the 'high executor' dies! His skull must decorate our ship hulls by any means!] screamed the leading sentinel with a tone of mockery.
[Kill him? Haha! Then you must go through me first… Little elves! And here I thought I was your target! So why are you so focused on a puny apprentice who barely knows how to walk? Huh!] yelled back Marvin with his own tone of mockery.
As those words left his mouth, the shadows twisted as they revealed more rogues aiming for Vor'el life! But so focused on his spells, the man didn't notice the cold poisonous dagger aiming for his heart! As that dagger popped through his dying barrier and inched towards his heart! A barrier made of pure holy light enveloped him in beauty!
As the rogue dagger bounced back from the barrier in confusion, they soon found themselves bursting into flame! Their screams silenced the battlefield as a gnoll rushes down from treetops in a thunderous color, that tipped his blades in lighting! Blades that entered a sentinel chest as his blades were too weak to stim the blow!
With a twist and a pull, Lanthios gouges his beautiful red glaives out of the poor elf's chest! With blood that camouflaged with his blades, he stood tall and intimidating, while the elf leader cursed and yelled:
[what are the huntresses doing? They were supposed to guard the road!]
With those words, it was like fate had heard her, as many spears came flying in from the forest! But before they could hit anything, a wall made of pure ice formed to separate the battlefield! Blocking them and engraving their metal spears forever in a wall as hard as diamonds!
[now! What?] screamed the leader as she saw a mage blink out of stealth!
With fire and butterflies that swam in an arch of a tornado, Layla smirked and sent her butterflies to help energize Vor'el portal! With a blaze-outlook, the portal spun to life!
[hurry! Everyone in! She not going to last long!] called out Vor'el as he was the first to enter! Mages after all, always prioritize their life first and foremost!
To his call, the weak entered first as the last of the guards were willing to give up their lives to allow them to escape! But Marvin stood at the forefront with his men ready to risk it all! To him who has already died once what was death? Would his death truly impact his lady agenda? The answer is no! Rather he lived or died was of little consequence to the overall plan…
But his enemy… the elves didn't think so, to them any dead enemy commander was as good as gold! Especially undead; who like the legion killed and corrupted the lands they once called home!
So, with a smile and a two-handed sword the warrior, Marvin relished in the killing! But even that too had to come to an end… as the leader of the sentinel drew her blade! With a battle cry and a charge, she clashed blades with the high executor! With a fury of attack and a shout of fear to stun Marvin! But Marvin had a much stronger 'will' and could not be feared by such a weak battle shout of an elf!
With his will unbroken and sword twisting in barbs parried itself against his foe's weak armor cutting into her! With a woman's scream, she said…
[got you!]
With those words and a smile, she thrusted her sword into Marvin's chest! But as his greenish liquid blood, oozed from his chest, Marvin smiled back and said:
[what? That it? Fool! I'm already dead! What good would it do you to stab a heart that already stopped beating ages ago? Now my dear who has who... now!]
Marvin then quickly twisted his sword, cutting off the fingers of the sentinel that held back his sword! With another scream, she fell to her knees! But while Marvin repositioned his sword to aim for a downward strike at her head, the sentinel quickly let go of her sword and pulled out a dagger!
As they both aim for each other's head, Lanthios pulls Marvin back and tosses him into the portal! Furious that her target got away, the sentinel didn't stop her attack and aimed for Gnoll's head! But without even flinching, Lanthios just stared at the dagger that was inches away from his face, as the sentinel leader froze in place!
But not out of fear, or condemnation of duty, but because she was frozen in a block of ice! With a frozen face that could kill, Lanthios snarled out misty air through his nose at the frozen sentinel… but while he contemplated whether or not to kill this elf, he turned his head to look at Layla, who returned his stare with a smile and a wink! With a joyful grunt, he then heard the sounds of an army of bears!
Druids! And a lot of them! With muscles and armor, Lanthios knew that the ice wall would be but a twig in front of such strength!
{Layla we are leaving!} yelled Lanthios
With a nod, Layla cast a blizzard into the air! With their raging spike impaling the sentinels, it gave the pair just enough time to make it to the portal to escape, but as they made it to the portal, they noticed a few undead guards still protecting it! Noticing the pair's confusion, the guards said:
[hurry through! We'll stay behind and make sure none get through!]
{but what about…} replied Lanthios
[just go!] yelled back the guard as the ice wall broke by a simple roar of a druid!
A druid with a scare and a blind eye… one who was far bigger than the rest! And one's whose claws glowed with the fury of nature! With winds that swirled around its glowing thorns that hid in the fur of its body!
{that druid… who is it!} thoughts Lanthios as the undead guards yelled at him to go into the portal
[hurry! There isn't much time! Go now!] screamed the guards
{but…} replied Lanthios hesitatingly.
[why are you hesitating? You saved our lives, the least we can do is pay you back with them! Now go! While we still draw 'breath'] yelled back the guards as they lined up in a shield formation.
Understanding their resolve, Lanthios no longer hesitated and went into the portal with Layla sealing the guards' fate…