The shockwave of Tyreon's spell boomed through the darkness of the passageway forcing the walls of the abyss to rumble. Aritius stood up to hear the relief of Tyreons voice calling back up from the abyss "I think this is the prison that lay on the bottom floor of the fortress," he shouted.
Thank goodness he's alright. I owe him my eternal forgiveness, Aritius though to himself with a sigh. Flickering lights appeared at the bottom of the abyss as two guards walked into the chambers with another victim of the Count's terror. Before Aritius could even react, Mentis had flung himself into the chasm off of his towering rage. Fashes from Mentis's chains gleamed about the chamber tearing through the flesh of the two guards. Blood spatter decorated the walls after Mentis's brutality ended and he helped Tyreon to his feet.
"With the raucus you're both making I would be amazed if we weren't dealing with a good twenty guards within the quarter hour..." Aidan shouted down the chasm to the two who await the rest of them. "Some magic would help," Aidan told himself, "if I knew any."
"Weak humans," Aritius scoffed to himself.
"Fethala basreyavaru," Aritius said as his hands glowed. The side of the abyss shoke as rough stone ledges pushed out from the sides forming a means of getting to the prison. Aritius climbed down the side of the wall tired from the magic that he used. He wasn't much of a user himself, but his natural abilities to use magic was handy for situation, such as this.
Aritius arrived at the bottom of the abyss, the prision, to see Mentis and Tyreon putting on the two guards' clothes.
"Guards clothes?!" Aritius exclaims, "Why did I take off that other set?!" he turns to Tyreon to speak, "Tyreon, my remorse is never ending for what I have caused. Please, brother, friend, except my deepest apology for these deeds."
Aritius followed the group through the city toward the cemetary. The sounds of grinding metal echoed between the house as the armed soldiers marched through to mop of the remains. The group made haste and ran to the cemetary as Aritius removed the map from his knapsack once more. As other group members made idle chat, Tyreon grabbed the map and led the way through the houses. Seeming only minutes away they arrived upon the tomb detailed on the map. Tyreon tried forcing the tomb's door open with little avail, only to open with ease after one of Tyreon's solid spells.
The group pushed their way into the tomb in search of the staircase, but to also escape from a most brutal death of the soldiers. They searched high and low for a hidden passage way to lead them further through the catacombs. Mentis searched diligently until he opened a sarcophagus revealing a crawlspace leading below. One-by-one they all slipped down into the underground hall leading toward the fortress.
They walked slowly through the very dark hall until Tyreon summoned lights to show the way. The hall was still very dim and Aritius couldn't see his own hands infront of him. Loosing sight of the members ahead of him he rushed forward to catch up with them.
"Hey, wait up," Aritius yells into the darkness.
The other members suddenly appeared at Aritius face, stopped. Aritius bumped into Tyreon, hard, knocking him into the reason they stopped.
"NOO!" Aritius yells extending his hand outward only for it to be swallowed into the darkness of the abyss that Tyreon had fallen into.What have I done?! I'm sorry, brother, Aritius thought staring into the abyss in awe.
Stupid human, Aritius thinks to himself looking at Aidan with digust, Their naive mind will not allow them to understand the sacrifices of war. They will never learn.
"I will have to agree with Tyreon. We need to make our move now, we cannot stand here and do nothing," Aritius tells the group looking around as the sounds of arrows and marching guards come closer, "We must go."
Aritius rolls the map up and puts it back in his knapsack.
"Mentis says he knows the way and I can help guide through the fortress. Our plan was to gain access to the fortress and here it is staring us in the face. Shabby plan it may be, but it is all we have. Now let's move," Aritius says as he walks to a window that leads away from the fortress, smashing it with the handle of his dagger. He crawls out the window and looks back into the house, "Who's with me?"
Aritius stands up and paces around the room while the other two introduce themselves.
"What should be our next move for an attack?" Aritius asks the group, "OH! I have this map, yes, here."
Aritius moves over to a fine table at the end of the room. He brushes the dust and small debris off of it and removes the map from his knapsack. He unrolls its and sets it down on the table, using pieces of wood to hold the edges down.
"See here, comrades. This map shows us of a cemetary. There," Aritius says pointing to a structure on the map noted with the royal symbol, "That must be a crypt of a sort. It shows a hidden passage that leads to another structure on the inside of the wall," Aritius proclaims moving his finger along the line stopping at the other structure, "That will be our way inside."
Aritius stands upright, proud of his plan. A dumbfounded look comes across Aritius's face before he speaks: "Um, but does anyone know where this cemetary would be?" he tells them, realizing he doesn't know.
"Hurry! Everybody, in here" Tyreon yells holding the door open for Aidan's return.
Another volley of arrows rains down on them as Aidan and the woman take cover across the road. Arrowheads pierce the door and one strikes Tyreons arm drawing blood. He pulls it away from the door, proping it open with his foot.
Suddenly, a large robed figures stands in the doorway holding a bladed chain. His eyes meet with Aritius as the man grips his chain tighter, ready for a fight
"SPIES, THE COUNT HAS SPIES IN THIS HOUSE, TO ARMS, BROTHERS !!" the man yells back to the streets.
"Easy, easy, don't worry. The man is a spy but a spy on our side. This house is safe for now." Tyreon tells the man, saving Aritius from a surely gruesome death.
Tyreon returns to the door before quickly running out of the house and down the street. Aritius jumps to the door way to see the meaning of Tyreon's leave. Aidan and the woman run into the house as Aritius watches Tyreon helps a badly wounded man back toward the house. As Tyreon arrives back at the house, he and the wounded man collapse under the amount of effort the rescue took.
"What is your name?" Tyreon asks the wounded man.
"Valos.. Valos Jerra," he says weakly, "Who are you.. Rebels? And a spy I presume?"
"Now is a good of time as any for more formal introductions. My name is Tyreon. I recently left my ward to aid in this rebellion. I can not speak for the rest but my plan was to aid this rebellion to help rewrite all that is wrong in this world," Tyreon says returning to his feet as he leans on a wooden table while the group gets situated about the house.
"Well, assuming we're all on the same side here, I guess I'll introduce myself as well. My name is Mentis, I've really no other reason to take part in this rebellion other than personal revenge. Not for my family or friends, simply for my own peace of mind." Mentis said slumping on a wall, eyeing Aritius.
"I am Aritius Jesahi. I was spying on Count Reithwayr until he found me out to be a spy. I was sentenced to his dungeons to be killed later, but I escaped it and took sides with the rebellion. I wont be needing these anymore either," Aritius tell the group taking off the regalia of the Count exposing a simple leather padding, "That's much better, I felt that I was getting looks anyway," Aritius says giving Mentis a sharp look.
Laist turns toward Aidan in response to his question.
"My name is Laist Vakoilem... oh, sorry, that's my cover name," Laist tell him, "My real name is Aritius Jesahi. You can call me that. I'm a spy, but there's no need for a cover name anymore. You all seem like a bunch of trustworthy fighters."
Aritius returns to his feet as the wall of a nearby house comes crumbling down. Screams can be heard from the scene. What was that?! We should investigate and make sure no one is hurt.
The dust and debris cleared from the scene where the wall fell revealing a woman. A man was standing over, about to attack. Aidan suddenly dashed across the way to the soldier slaying him without thought. Henry followed in Aidan's wake, darting out the door to help the woman. Henry had made it halfway across the street when three arrows struck him. Two dug into his left leg and one in his right forearm. Two more arrows found their mark, his right leg and left shoulder. Henry's deathly screams fill the air as he fell to his knees. One last single arrow passes through Henry's skull, the serrated tip poked out through his hair dripping with blood. Henry's lifeless corpse falls limp to the ground.
"Okay Henry, I think we should wait until the next volley of arrows is over and then move into the battle," Laist told him.
"Alright, I'll have your back," Henry reassured Laist.
Laist looked away from Henry uneasy about Henry's ability to actually help him. Human, protect me. If he can take an arrow for me, he's done well.
Suddenly the window of the house shattered and in moments a man was jumping through holding swords to their throats.
"What is going on here?" the man asked starring Laist down.
"We are rebelling against the Count along side the other countrymen and countrywomen who fight outside," Laist told him quickly, noticing the mans keen interest in the map, "We mean you no harm, sir. This outfit is one I stole while I spied on the Count himself. Who are you?"
Laist and the three militiamen started to work their way back toward their allies.
"So, Laist, did you learn any thing about Reithwayr while you spied on him?" asked one of the men.
"I'd rather not talk about it, especially with you," Laist replied with disgust in his voice.
"Alright then, have it your way."
As they drew closer to the others the cheers grew louder and more vigorously Suddenly, a guard jumped from the bushes near them and thrust his pike deep into one of the men. Laist quickly turned to the commotion that had taken place next to him, drawing a small knife from his boot. He held it to the guards neck as he dropped his pike to the ground, still stuck in the man.
"Do you wish to die?" Laist asked coldly.
"Anything for Count Reithwayr!" shouted the guard.
"So be it," Laist told him, slowly dragging the blade of the knife along his neck.
The guard screamed in pain clenching his neck as blood spewed between his fingers. He fell to his knees as Laist's boot met his chest knocking him to his back while the last breaths of life faded from him. Laist looks down to his fallen ally and he grinds his teeth.
"Stupid human," Laist says under his breath turning away.
The sound of a horn bellowed out to the surrounding countrymen, warning them of their deaths. Archers took their places atop the fortress wall with the bows drawn, ready to fire. Arrows darkened the sky from any light that was left to be seen through the smoke and fire. Laist darted to the wall of the nearby house as the arrows pelted the ground and roof of the house.
"Lucky are we," Laist told Henry, the only other survivor of their group, "Guess I'll be watching your back too. Let's move."
Laist and Henry ran into the town to avoid any following volleys of arrows and took refuge in the house they used for cover.
"You there! Stop!" calles a voice far off, "Get him he's one of the Count's men!"
Laist stops at the sight of three townsfolk running at him with their 'weapons' drawn. They surround him with anger in their eyes, ready to kill.
"No, wait. My name is Laist, I'm not any of the Count's disgusting hencemen," Laist tells them pleading for his life.
"You came from the fortress, you have to be. You must have been running for your life after news from our attack," says one of the three men.
"No! I'm nothing of that. I'm a spy, I was sent here to inflitrate the fortress and to learn of the Count's deeds. Look, I stole this map," Laist tells them removing the map from his knapsack.
"A spy? Who sent you then?"
"I cannot tell you that, but I am. Trust me, please. The Count found me out and sent me to the dungeons to be killed. I will fight along side you in this battle, to prove my hatred for the Count myself."
"Okay. Henry," the man asking all the questions says lowering his weapon, "Make sure he's not going to betray us."
"You got it," replies Henry.
"Now is the hour! Now is the day! Revenge and freedom for your homeland, your loved ones, and your dignity! Throw down the shackles of imprisonment and dissemble the pillars of tyranny!" echoes a man's battlecry throughout the mountains.
Laist looks over to the man standing on a roof as the cheers of the countrymen and countrywomen below him ring out into the nearing night. Laist looks back to the three men that are watching the people at a distance too.
"Let's go to battle, men" Laist tells them as they nod with agreement.
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Thank goodness he's alright. I owe him my eternal forgiveness, Aritius though to himself with a sigh. Flickering lights appeared at the bottom of the abyss as two guards walked into the chambers with another victim of the Count's terror. Before Aritius could even react, Mentis had flung himself into the chasm off of his towering rage. Fashes from Mentis's chains gleamed about the chamber tearing through the flesh of the two guards. Blood spatter decorated the walls after Mentis's brutality ended and he helped Tyreon to his feet.
"With the raucus you're both making I would be amazed if we weren't dealing with a good twenty guards within the quarter hour..." Aidan shouted down the chasm to the two who await the rest of them. "Some magic would help," Aidan told himself, "if I knew any."
"Weak humans," Aritius scoffed to himself.
"Fethala basreyavaru," Aritius said as his hands glowed. The side of the abyss shoke as rough stone ledges pushed out from the sides forming a means of getting to the prison. Aritius climbed down the side of the wall tired from the magic that he used. He wasn't much of a user himself, but his natural abilities to use magic was handy for situation, such as this.
Aritius arrived at the bottom of the abyss, the prision, to see Mentis and Tyreon putting on the two guards' clothes.
"Guards clothes?!" Aritius exclaims, "Why did I take off that other set?!" he turns to Tyreon to speak, "Tyreon, my remorse is never ending for what I have caused. Please, brother, friend, except my deepest apology for these deeds."
The group pushed their way into the tomb in search of the staircase, but to also escape from a most brutal death of the soldiers. They searched high and low for a hidden passage way to lead them further through the catacombs. Mentis searched diligently until he opened a sarcophagus revealing a crawlspace leading below. One-by-one they all slipped down into the underground hall leading toward the fortress.
They walked slowly through the very dark hall until Tyreon summoned lights to show the way. The hall was still very dim and Aritius couldn't see his own hands infront of him. Loosing sight of the members ahead of him he rushed forward to catch up with them.
"Hey, wait up," Aritius yells into the darkness.
The other members suddenly appeared at Aritius face, stopped. Aritius bumped into Tyreon, hard, knocking him into the reason they stopped.
"NOO!" Aritius yells extending his hand outward only for it to be swallowed into the darkness of the abyss that Tyreon had fallen into. What have I done?! I'm sorry, brother, Aritius thought staring into the abyss in awe.
"I will have to agree with Tyreon. We need to make our move now, we cannot stand here and do nothing," Aritius tells the group looking around as the sounds of arrows and marching guards come closer, "We must go."
Aritius rolls the map up and puts it back in his knapsack.
"Mentis says he knows the way and I can help guide through the fortress. Our plan was to gain access to the fortress and here it is staring us in the face. Shabby plan it may be, but it is all we have. Now let's move," Aritius says as he walks to a window that leads away from the fortress, smashing it with the handle of his dagger. He crawls out the window and looks back into the house, "Who's with me?"
"What should be our next move for an attack?" Aritius asks the group, "OH! I have this map, yes, here."
Aritius moves over to a fine table at the end of the room. He brushes the dust and small debris off of it and removes the map from his knapsack. He unrolls its and sets it down on the table, using pieces of wood to hold the edges down.
"See here, comrades. This map shows us of a cemetary. There," Aritius says pointing to a structure on the map noted with the royal symbol, "That must be a crypt of a sort. It shows a hidden passage that leads to another structure on the inside of the wall," Aritius proclaims moving his finger along the line stopping at the other structure, "That will be our way inside."
Aritius stands upright, proud of his plan. A dumbfounded look comes across Aritius's face before he speaks: "Um, but does anyone know where this cemetary would be?" he tells them, realizing he doesn't know.
Another volley of arrows rains down on them as Aidan and the woman take cover across the road. Arrowheads pierce the door and one strikes Tyreons arm drawing blood. He pulls it away from the door, proping it open with his foot.
Suddenly, a large robed figures stands in the doorway holding a bladed chain. His eyes meet with Aritius as the man grips his chain tighter, ready for a fight
"SPIES, THE COUNT HAS SPIES IN THIS HOUSE, TO ARMS, BROTHERS !!" the man yells back to the streets.
"Easy, easy, don't worry. The man is a spy but a spy on our side. This house is safe for now." Tyreon tells the man, saving Aritius from a surely gruesome death.
Tyreon returns to the door before quickly running out of the house and down the street. Aritius jumps to the door way to see the meaning of Tyreon's leave. Aidan and the woman run into the house as Aritius watches Tyreon helps a badly wounded man back toward the house. As Tyreon arrives back at the house, he and the wounded man collapse under the amount of effort the rescue took.
"What is your name?" Tyreon asks the wounded man.
"Valos.. Valos Jerra," he says weakly, "Who are you.. Rebels? And a spy I presume?"
"Now is a good of time as any for more formal introductions. My name is Tyreon. I recently left my ward to aid in this rebellion. I can not speak for the rest but my plan was to aid this rebellion to help rewrite all that is wrong in this world," Tyreon says returning to his feet as he leans on a wooden table while the group gets situated about the house.
"Well, assuming we're all on the same side here, I guess I'll introduce myself as well. My name is Mentis, I've really no other reason to take part in this rebellion other than personal revenge. Not for my family or friends, simply for my own peace of mind." Mentis said slumping on a wall, eyeing Aritius.
"I am Aritius Jesahi. I was spying on Count Reithwayr until he found me out to be a spy. I was sentenced to his dungeons to be killed later, but I escaped it and took sides with the rebellion. I wont be needing these anymore either," Aritius tell the group taking off the regalia of the Count exposing a simple leather padding, "That's much better, I felt that I was getting looks anyway," Aritius says giving Mentis a sharp look.
"My name is Laist Vakoilem... oh, sorry, that's my cover name," Laist tell him, "My real name is Aritius Jesahi. You can call me that. I'm a spy, but there's no need for a cover name anymore. You all seem like a bunch of trustworthy fighters."
Aritius returns to his feet as the wall of a nearby house comes crumbling down. Screams can be heard from the scene. What was that?! We should investigate and make sure no one is hurt.
The dust and debris cleared from the scene where the wall fell revealing a woman. A man was standing over, about to attack. Aidan suddenly dashed across the way to the soldier slaying him without thought. Henry followed in Aidan's wake, darting out the door to help the woman. Henry had made it halfway across the street when three arrows struck him. Two dug into his left leg and one in his right forearm. Two more arrows found their mark, his right leg and left shoulder. Henry's deathly screams fill the air as he fell to his knees. One last single arrow passes through Henry's skull, the serrated tip poked out through his hair dripping with blood. Henry's lifeless corpse falls limp to the ground.
"Well, better him than us," Aritius says coldly.
He served his purpose to me.
"Alright, I'll have your back," Henry reassured Laist.
Laist looked away from Henry uneasy about Henry's ability to actually help him. Human, protect me. If he can take an arrow for me, he's done well.
Suddenly the window of the house shattered and in moments a man was jumping through holding swords to their throats.
"What is going on here?" the man asked starring Laist down.
"We are rebelling against the Count along side the other countrymen and countrywomen who fight outside," Laist told him quickly, noticing the mans keen interest in the map, "We mean you no harm, sir. This outfit is one I stole while I spied on the Count himself. Who are you?"
"So, Laist, did you learn any thing about Reithwayr while you spied on him?" asked one of the men.
"I'd rather not talk about it, especially with you," Laist replied with disgust in his voice.
"Alright then, have it your way."
As they drew closer to the others the cheers grew louder and more vigorously Suddenly, a guard jumped from the bushes near them and thrust his pike deep into one of the men. Laist quickly turned to the commotion that had taken place next to him, drawing a small knife from his boot. He held it to the guards neck as he dropped his pike to the ground, still stuck in the man.
"Do you wish to die?" Laist asked coldly.
"Anything for Count Reithwayr!" shouted the guard.
"So be it," Laist told him, slowly dragging the blade of the knife along his neck.
The guard screamed in pain clenching his neck as blood spewed between his fingers. He fell to his knees as Laist's boot met his chest knocking him to his back while the last breaths of life faded from him. Laist looks down to his fallen ally and he grinds his teeth.
"Stupid human," Laist says under his breath turning away.
The sound of a horn bellowed out to the surrounding countrymen, warning them of their deaths. Archers took their places atop the fortress wall with the bows drawn, ready to fire. Arrows darkened the sky from any light that was left to be seen through the smoke and fire. Laist darted to the wall of the nearby house as the arrows pelted the ground and roof of the house.
"Lucky are we," Laist told Henry, the only other survivor of their group, "Guess I'll be watching your back too. Let's move."
Laist and Henry ran into the town to avoid any following volleys of arrows and took refuge in the house they used for cover.
Laist stops at the sight of three townsfolk running at him with their 'weapons' drawn. They surround him with anger in their eyes, ready to kill.
"No, wait. My name is Laist, I'm not any of the Count's disgusting hencemen," Laist tells them pleading for his life.
"You came from the fortress, you have to be. You must have been running for your life after news from our attack," says one of the three men.
"No! I'm nothing of that. I'm a spy, I was sent here to inflitrate the fortress and to learn of the Count's deeds. Look, I stole this map," Laist tells them removing the map from his knapsack.
"A spy? Who sent you then?"
"I cannot tell you that, but I am. Trust me, please. The Count found me out and sent me to the dungeons to be killed. I will fight along side you in this battle, to prove my hatred for the Count myself."
"Okay. Henry," the man asking all the questions says lowering his weapon, "Make sure he's not going to betray us."
"You got it," replies Henry.
"Now is the hour! Now is the day! Revenge and freedom for your homeland, your loved ones, and your dignity! Throw down the shackles of imprisonment and dissemble the pillars of tyranny!" echoes a man's battlecry throughout the mountains.
Laist looks over to the man standing on a roof as the cheers of the countrymen and countrywomen below him ring out into the nearing night. Laist looks back to the three men that are watching the people at a distance too.
"Let's go to battle, men" Laist tells them as they nod with agreement.