Victory does not come without a price (Semi Open Training)

[Guest Celes]

Arafel, Lyv had been here for some months now and had not seen much action since she got here. The captains kept their troops in action by organizing patrols and lot's of training on odd terrain. She did not enjoy it much, but it was nice to stay in a different country. The locals did not much appreciate the tower guards and shunned the camp as much as possible. Lyv wondered about the Arafellins and spent nights over the campfire talking to her fellow guards on watch about the Borderland folk. What made them tick? Today was no different than other days in that she had to do some training for her lieutenant. Nobody could be left behind and so they all had to be in shape and fit should anything happen. Well, what could happen that had not already happened by now...

 

Her legs felt sore from running over uneven ground, avoiding the branches that stuck out of trees and could leave nasty cuts on arms and face when hit directly. Lyv rubbed her legs and waited to catch her breath when she noticed that her favorite captain, Ralleigh Taj had moved from his station. The captain was not one to forsake his duty and she wondered where he had gone off to, maybe just a stroll or a visit to a tree. He did have some of the light herbed tea at lunch that afternoon and Lyv grinned as she realized that one cup to many could have you watering for the rest of the day. There, he appeared again and nodded at her to join him and one of the other guards. Lyv paced a little and felt her legs loosen as she put them to work again, this was good, keep running.

 

“Lyv, I need you on the wall this evening, you and after dinner you will have some company from Lance here,” he nodded at the older guard who looked at the wall around their small camp like it was the most boring wall he’d ever seen. He shrugged and nodded at Lyv, “I have a short patrol to do first, can I bring you some food back to the watch maybe?” she thanked him and said that he could, since otherwise there’d be no food left by the time her shift ended. He nodded and headed off to work, Lyv stayed behind and waited for Ralleigh to acknowledge that she had not in fact run off to do her job too. “So, does that mean you trust me again?” Lyv asked and winked at him at which he sighed and simply said, “No, but I trust Lance and he’ll be there when the creepies come out,” at which he grinned and headed off towards his tent. Lyv watched him go and whispered barely audible, “The only creepies I know who run around here at night are captains, or rather you, captain,” and then turned on her heel to take her turn at the watch.

 

Lyv Tylin

Tower Guard

busy on WY advancement reqs

 

OOC: If you like, feel free to join this camp. I have a little RP outline written up that I’m glad to share and broaden with you. Please PM me before joining so we can chat!

[Guest Celes]

“Lyv,” you still awake?” his basking voice should Lyv from the dozing sleep she was about to fall into. Her eyes felt heavy, for the last two hours she had been staring at treetops and moss and wondered why Ralleigh was so keen on punishing her for what she did not know. Of course they were never the best of friends and chances were that that would not change soon, but he did have it out for her. Lyv sighed and took the cup of and the plate with cold cuts of poultry and some dried bread on it. She munched on it for a bit and stared out into nothing when a high-pitched voice shook them both up. Lance was first on his feet and jumped off the wall to meet the young man who had screamed up at them. Lyv ran after him and found Lance gripping the wrists of a man who seemed to want to escape from his grip and just keep running.

 

“What’s going on, what’s with the screams?” Lance asked, as calm as he could while holding the man with all the force he could muster. Lyv found blind panic on the man’s face and helped Lance by gripping the man’s arm and slowly forcing it down. The man looked at her and stared with big empty gray eyes at her, “They came and killed all, I can still smell the stink of them… and worse, the smell of their cook pots, it was…” he stopped and sank through his knees where Lance finally let go of him and crouched down with him. Lyv kept standing and looked down on the stranger when something struck her, his clothing was familiar. She gave Lance a nudge on his shoulder and said, “He’s one of us,” at which Lance went pale and took the man by his chin, “Is that you Rolo?” The man jerked his head free and shook, “No, Rolo’s my brother,” then he started to whimper softly and Lyv did not have to hear the rest of that sentence, the man had just lost his brother to this attack. But what had happened? And what about those cook pots? Wasn’t that just a kid’s story to scare the children from wandering out of their parent’s sight?

 

They helped the man up to his feet and got a name out of him, Lyv went ahead to find one of the captains while Lance helped the man to one of the nearly dimmed fires and handed him a cup of tea. He sipped on it slowly, his hands shaking but it seemed like he did not notice. Nor did he notice how the warm tea dripped over his fingers, Lyv studied it for a while and then turned to find someone they could report to. “Captain, sir,” she said as she found Ralleigh just taking off his boots in his tent. “Don’t know how to knock, Miss Tylin?” he asked and she grinned, “No sir, not on a tent,” and then waited for him to ask her in highly annoyed voice what it was she wanted, “We have a guest captain, his name is Gregg Torrant,” the captain stared blankly back at her, “Is that name supposed to mean anything to me Lyv?” at which she shook her head. “No sir, but he is from the camp near the village of Perusan, a good two hours from the capital Shol Arbela, and he did not bring good news captain,” the worry struck in her voice as she spoke with the captain. Ralleigh proceeded to put his boots back on and took a cloak that he wrapped around his shoulders, “Show me this man, Lyv,” he said and ushered her out of his tent.

 

The story that was told by the man who had not only lost his brother but a whole group of guards and soldiers from Shol Arbela and neighbouring cities. Gregg was Arafellin himself and had come to the White Tower to learn how to defend his country from the Shadow that was ever rising in the Borderlands. He and his younger brother Rolo had trained for several years under the tower guards and had taken leave from their work to protect their families and friends in Arafel. The guards had come to secure a new base near the village of Perusan where they lived and the two brothers had rejoined the guard’s forces. That evening a troop of Shadowspawn had found its way to the village and then to the camp and had overtaken half the village and the entire camp. Men and women alike were slain and houses were set aflame. “The smell…” Gregg kept saying and Lyv tried not to find meaning in his stutters, but she knew what he meant, for she too had once seen a burning house with people trapped inside, the smell was the most vicious memory of all to kill.

 

She swallowed hard and refilled her teacup, then looked around and found three more guards had joined the conversation over the campfire. Bad news traveled too fast she found and as Ralleigh and Lance questioned Gregg about the details, Lyv stepped back a little and just listened to the pain that came from this man. She decided that if she had a chance, she would go back to this village with him and take back what belonged to the Light. To overcome the Shadowspawn and bury the fallen properly, maybe some had survived, they could not sit there and do nothing while the Shadow was victorious. But for now, she had to wait as she was not the captain and the person who was in the lead was not particularly fond enough of Lyv to send her on such an important mission. And so they waited, for the questions to end and the story to finish, before morning however there would be more to it than talk and stories of horror. At first light a small group of guards would find the village of Perusan and report on what they would find, or rather on what was no longer there.

Lyv Tylin

Tower Guard

OOC: Wanta play?

[Guest Celes]

OOC: Just moving this ahead.

 

Ralleigh heard the story of this man Gregg and wondered if it was true. He did not know the man and had seen more than enough hurt and battered victims to see that this man could well be faking it. He looked frightened to the bone and yet also stoical, but then Ralleigh thought that this might also be a defense mechanism in his mind, to shut down emotions as the pain just grew over his head. He made a decision to trust the man to a point and send some men to the village Gregg had described and see what had happened. “Alright, Jonah, help this man to a tent and get him cleaned up, fed and if he’s tired give him a bunk to sleep,” with a nod of his head he gestured to another guard to help Jonah and stand guard. It was not in the message, but they would understand not to let this stranger alone in their camp.

 

Once Gregg was off to the tent, Ralleigh looked around at the guards standing there, waiting for his orders. “Lance, Bernt, you come with me and we’ll go scout this camp,” and with that he turned on his heel to get his weapons and inform his fellow captain that he was off. Lyv followed him on his heel and he heard her feet moving faster to get ahead of him. He knew what was coming and told her, “Lyv, you come too, but don’t get in my way,” and with that he headed off to his tent. They all got ready and were on the move soon, on foot as horses might make too much noise and give their position away. They found the camp near the village a good two hours later as they did not have anyone to show them the way in the dark, Ralleigh was glad they’d found it, but that happiness soon turned sour as the smell hit him hard. It was all true and it made him want to hurl, but he concentrate in the Spring and headed forward, his team spreading a few feet away to check out what had happened.

 

Lyv was the first to report, holding a piece of cloth to cover her mouth and her other hand firmly gripping her katana hilt. “It’s true, everything Gregg said is true,” she reported and removed the cloth for a few to quickly give her report. She had seen the dismembered bodies of the villagers and quite a large number of trainees and skilled swordsmen laying all over the east side of the camp. From the west side she could still hear the grunts and screams, the fire was on and she had returned when she heard a man call to someone to light the tents on fire that were in the far back. As Lyv had been hiding there, she had quickly hurried out so as not to attract their attention. Ralleigh awaited the other members of his team and then talked over what they would do. Lance had spoken of a group of about twenty people and he’d seen just a single Trolloc.

 

“I did not see any cookpots, I did see fires and bodies though,” and then moved off to empty his stomach. This was a place of horror and Ralleigh was unsure that staying and fighting would be the best option. Maybe they should head back to the camp, regroup and find extra manpower to take over the remains of this camp. Then again, his conscience could not allow for the last survivors, if any, to die while they fled. He made a decision and they headed forward in east direction to sneak up on the man who setting the camp on fire. If they were quick enough, they might still be able to stop him and get some information from her about the others in the far west ruins.

 

Ralleigh Taj

NSW Captain of the guard

[Shepherd]

He laughed as he fell down, for the fifth time during the exercise. The muscles in his arms felt like pillow stuffing and his legs were twisted wet ropes. He just couldn’t find the strength to keep running over the uneven ground. For some reason he kept catching his foot on the tree roots and tripping over the odd stone on the path. He was glad the others were to far ahead of him to see his floundering.

 

Gillie felt tired… and useless.

 

He had been training with the rest of the Guards for the last month in Arafel and it had quickly become obvious how unskilled he truly was. In comparison to the others that had volunteered to go to the borderlands, Gillie found himself lacking in his fighting ability. No matter how quick he was, they all moved faster and with more grace. His sword was swift, but their sword forms were near perfection with god-like speed.

 

He could not match their strength or skill with a blade. After a month, Gillie knew how inferior he was and that he had no place in the borderlands. Yet, for better or worse, he could not leave. While physically he didn’t measure up to the other Guards, his sense of honor and duty was just as hard and sharp as theirs.

 

‘I accept that I am not as strong or fast as everyone else here… but I am not weak!’

 

Gillie knew the bitter truth. He had wasted the last two years in dark self-pity and he could not redeem that lost time. Taking on the nights watch, he had stalked the dark corridors of the Tower at night while wrapped in the Void, and during the day he had hid from life. Gillie had trained in the yard only to preserve what ability he already had. Somewhere down the line he had stopped training to advance his swordsman’s skill.

 

‘Though, not everything was a complete waste…’

 

Those two years he spent pondering the meaning of his life. He questioned his reasons for existence, why he had devoted himself to the Tower, and whether or not it had all been for nothing. At the end of his murky contemplation he came to realize that no matter what had originally brought him to the Tower, he needed to stop dwelling on the past for guidance in the future. That was the only real answer he was able to find in the two years of soul searching, and while it wasn’t much, it had been a new start for Gillie.

 

Shortly after his revelation, he had volunteered to join the Guards going to the borderlands. At the time it had seemed like a good plan, a new beginning after almost ten years at the Tower, but he hadn’t anticipated what it would really be like.

 

‘Foolishness… that’s what it was…’

 

He laughed at himself and turned his head up to the clouds above. “No use berating myself over the past anymore.” Gillie said to the sky. That was something else he had found during the two years of isolation within the Void, he had finally regained his smile and carefree spirit.

 

On shaking legs he stood up and started jogging at a slow pace till he felt able to start running again. He was determined to catch the other Guards.

 

‘I feel like a trainee again… but I wont give up… no matter how tough the path before me is…’

 

Again he smiled and ran for all he was worth.

 

 

Gillie Cole

Tower Guard

[Guest Celes]

Lyv was closing the team and tried to keep her distance, while also trying to keep up with Ralleigh. He had stopped shouting orders and had instead asked for complete silence as they closed in on the village. She was quiet and trying to follow the guard she was teamed up with for the strike when she suddenly felt something hard on the side of her head and felt her feet lose grip. She toppled over and saw in a distance that the other guards kept moving ahead. They had not noticed her falling down and as Lyv scrambled to her feet, she realized she could not call to warn them. She would have to catch up with the others, or they would be counting on her when she was not there.

 

As she found her balance again, Lyv looked around to see in what direction the group had headed. For some reason, everything looked the same and she could not pick out where they had gone. She started walking, hoping to find the west of the village where they were supposed to go and thus her captain when she stumbled into a small fire. It was nearly out and abandoned, she felt the wood and found that the fire had been dozed at least an hour ago. So this might have been an old campfire or a place they had a cook pot on. It did not smell as bad as the place Lyv had been earlier, she tried to remember where that had been. For some reason she was disoriented and could not remember exactly what direction she had taken. Everything looked so similar and so empty. She started to walk past the fire when she felt someone nearing her.

 

It was too late to hide as the man drew his sword and ran up to her. He had long black hair that flung in his face as he ran towards Lyv, no noise just his face lighting up with anger and rage. She grabbed hold of her quarterstaff and defended herself from his violent attack. Then hit the quarterstaff over his knees, like she had done so many time in practice. He toppled over, his rage had made him blind for her tactics and she made good use of that, striking him with quick hits. Suddenly, he found an opening in her defense and hr struck her on the upper arm. As she held on to her quarterstaff, Lyv could feel the strain on her arm become too much.

 

She had to free her arm for just a moment, but then the attacker was already near her face and trying to knock her out straight. Lyv screamed, she knew this could attract other attackers, but it did no good trying to be quiet when someone was succeeding in attacking you. She had no offense and another blow struck her over the head when finally a small dagger from her boot got into his side. She did not miss, this close up to him and smiled as she saw the blood trickle down his shirt. However, she could not win this all by herself. Why had she lost the group, why now?

 

Lyv Tylin

[Shepherd]

“Alright lads, we need a volunteer!” the Lieutenant shouted. Tower Guards began gathering around him eagerly waiting to hear what he had to say. The Lieutenant chuckled, shaking his head and said, “No, no, men, nothing to exciting, so don’t look at me with that foolish gleam in your eyes! All I need is someone to run a messege out to one of our patrol groups. Any takers?”

 

The small crowd that had gathered so quickly began to disperse once everyone knew that it was just an ordinary task fit for any fool that could ride a horse. They were warriors, fighting men and women that would not be reduced to mear messengers.

 

“I’ll do it sir!” Gillie called out. “What are the details?”

 

‘At least I can finaly be of some use around here.’ he thought to himself and grinned.

 

The Lieutenant handed him a leather wrapped envelope bearing the Tower’s seal and said, “Your to go northeast, just fallow their tracks leading from the camp, they only left two hours ago. Give this to Captian Ralleigh, and then bring back any messages.”

 

Gillie saluted the Lieutenant, fist to heart, and then dashed off to get his horse Silverthorn. He hadn’t had a chance to ride the courser since their trip to Arafel and he was looking forward to the spending some time in the saddle.

 

He found the silver charcoal-grey animal picketed at the end of the line. Smiling, Gillie patted Silverthorn along the neck and said, “Time to run brother. Shall we challenge the wind to a race today?” The horse lowered its head and nuzzled him close in their usual custom.

 

Silverthorn frisked about in anticipation, pulling away from Gillie once the saddle was secured. Laughing, Gillie double checked the saddle straps, making sure they were snug but not to tight. “Alright, that’s the spirit my brother. Today, the wind chases us!”

 

It wasn’t long after leaving the camp that he found Captain Ralleigh‘s trail. Gillie leaned forward in his saddle and whispered into Silverthorn’s ear, “To the chase!”. Swift as the wind, the horse shot off at a dead run.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gillie didn’t like what he saw. The tracks on the ground had split into two different directions, plus the smell of burning flesh and rotten meat permeated the air. Something wasn’t right, and the feeling just wouldn’t leave him. He checked his rapier, making sure it was clear of its sheath. It was then that he heard the sound that confirmed his worries.

 

A woman screamed.

 

Drawing his rapier, Gillie urged Silverthorn forward, fallowing the set of tracks leading west. In moments he came upon the scene. A big man with long stringy black hair had his sword poised to strike at a young woman.

 

Instantly he was surrounded by the Void and clarity filled his mind. Gillie raced toward the man hollering a fierce battle cry, hoping to distract his enemy from attacking the woman. Gillie’s rapier was leveled strait for the man’s head. The rapier, being a light sword, wasn’t suited for combat from horse, but that was all he had and it would have to do.

 

‘I’ll drive my blade through his neck and that will be the end of it!’

 

Though, just as Gillie was about to strike with his sword the man turned and brought his own blade up to block the thrust. With the momentum from his charge on horseback Gillie’s attack would have driven the man to the ground, had it actually landed where he aimed. When the man blocked with his heavier weapon, Gillie’s rapier bent, then snapped in half.

 

‘And that is why rapiers aren’t meant to be used for mounted combat!!’ Furry flamed all around the Void and his anger crashed against it like ocean waves against high cliffs, but it held.

 

Gillie turned Silverthorn around for a sound charge. Without a sword he was running out of options. His next plan was to throw himself at the man, hoping to avoid his enemy’s blade, and knock him down. Though, Gillie wasn’t very heavy. Tall and willow thin, he had little chance of winning in a contest of strength if it came to wrestling with the enemy.

 

‘And he’s still got his sword…’

 

He reached down and drew the long dirk he kept at his belt. It wasn’t much against a heavy blade, but it would have to do.

 

‘Time for a new plan…’

 

“I’m not dieing today!” he shouted as he booted Silverthorn forward again.

 

At the last moment, only four paces away from the man, Gillie threw his dirk. It grazed his enemy’s sword arm, making the man lower his blade till the tip touched the ground. That was the only opening he needed as he pulled hard on the reigns, causing Silverthorn to rear up and stomp down on the man with his hoofs.

 

It wasn’t long before the man was nothing more than a bloody mess beneath the horse. Gillie leaned forward and patted the animal affectionately. “You did great brother. Next time I promise I wont make you do all the work.”

 

He dismounted and walked over to the young woman, but he had only taken two steps before he froze in shock.

 

“Lyv?”

 

 

Gillie Cole

Tower Guard

[Guest Celes]

The horse seemed to come out of nowhere and Lyv was having a hard time not being frightened as she was still under attack from her assailant. She looked up and found she recognized the horse rider, but could not find his name immediately as shock blinded her from everything but her weapon skills. She was about to die and a familiar face was helping by throwing his horse over them both. Lyv rolled away and ducked from another strike when her opponent’s attention was drawn by the rider who had drawn a scimitar.

 

She watched the struggle and finally the end of her attacker as he was trampled on by the horse. Lyv emptied her stomach as the stress was relieved and the smell of blood filled the air. She got up to her feet and stumbled from behind the brush she was hiding behind. “Lyv!” he called and she recognized that voice, the voice that had sang to her over camp fires, told poems and stories and that had been with her when she had faced her family all those years ago back in Tanchico. Lyv ran up to Gillie and threw her arms around his neck, crying and trying to get herself back together again. She was gently placed back on her feet and told Gillie all about how she had fallen down and lost the rest of her group.

 

“Captain Taj, I lost him and I did not follow orders, got attacked,” she was telling ga very incoherent story and stumbling over words, trying to make sense of her emotions. The dead body of the man who had attacked her was no longer recognizable as such and it was that fact that finally calmed Lyv into reason. She was safe again and now, in slower and more thought through sentences could tell Gillie about the attack on the village near their camp. “We are on our way to help the villagers and see how many enemies are still there. I guess that this single attack means that they have scouts moving around the area. We have to find Ralleigh and the rest of them,” she waited for Gillie to take all this in, when she frowned at the realization that he was not stationed in her camp.

 

“Gillie, you saved me. But…what are you doing here?” and smiled at him. It was good to have an old friend near, in the Borderlands friends were all you had to get by. Food, guards to watch your back and friends to keep you stable. Feardriven panic helped nobody and Lyv did her best to keep calm again.

 

Lyv Tylin

[Shepherd]

Even though minuets ago he had been desperately trying to kill a man, and she had almost died, both Lyv and Gillie were smiling.

 

‘As a matter of fact, I almost died as well. If it hadn’t been for my horse…’ Gillie sighed and tried not to think about what might have happened had he lost. Putting those dark thoughts away he held on tightly to what was, to what did happen. He was alive and so was Lyv. That was all that matterd.

 

“What am I doing here? That’s a good question my friend!” he laughed and hugged Lyv again. “But first, lets leave this place. Where there’s one dark friend, there are bound to be others.”

 

He looked Lyv up and down, seeing if she had any visible wounds. “Plus, I think we might need to find a safe place to rest before we find your Captain.”

 

Gillie whistled for Silverthorn and the faithful horse obediently came trotting over. He quickly mounted and gave Lyv his hand, pulling her up behind him. In almost no time at all they had ridden back to the place where he had seen Lyv’s tracks diverge from her groups.

 

They headed east, fallowing the tracks left by Captain Ralleigh’s men. Not having ridden very long, they came across a small patch of trees. It was there that Gillie reigned in Silverthorn, thinking that the covering might make a good place to rest.

 

After dismounting Gillie handed Lyv a water skin and his clean handkerchief. “Here, drink. And when you’ve slaked your thirst, wet the cloth and press it to your temples.”

 

He rummaged through his saddle bags for a little while till he found the parcel he kept healing herbs in. Selecting a slender wooden tube filled with powder, he handed that to Lyv as well. “It’s the best I can do to help clear your head, and maybe lessen any pain your feeling. Though, I‘ll warn you, willow bark is very bitter.”

 

Again Gillie went to his saddle bags, but this when he came back to where Lyv was sitting he had a small sack of food in his hands. Smieling he handed her an apple and some cheese, saying, “Maybe this will take the taste of willow bark from your mouth.”

 

Sitting down with a sigh of releaf, Gillie bit into his own apple. In between bites he said, “So, you asked what I’m doing here earlier. Well, today I’m playing messenger. I’ve got to give something to your Captain and return with any messeges he wishes to send back to camp…” He laughed, “..or, if you ment what was I doing here in Arafel, I was a fool and volunteered to come up here.”

 

He looked off at the horizon, remembering bits and pieces of his childhood in the Almoth Plain and the last years at the Tower. “What was I thinking?”

 

While he was determined to no longer live in the past, sometimes he couldn’t avoid the meloncaly moods that driffed over his mind like dark strom clouds. Here he was, so far away from anything he knew, out matched in everything, and so utterly inexperienced that it was laughebale.

 

‘Perhaps I’m only an old shepherd that’s strayed to far from the meadow…’

 

 

Gillie Cole

Tower Guard

[Guest Celes]

Biting from the apple, Lyv could feel the vile taste of the medicinal herbs disappear and her taste buds were relieved to find the sweet apple instead. She looked grateful over at Gilie, it was as if he had just saved her life for a second time. “Messages for the captain, I bet he’ll like that. He’s always looking for news and wondering what he misses when he is out on a mission somewhere.” She knew Ralleigh Taj to be a captain who was interested in more than his own encampment. It was one of few character traits she could appreciate in her captain, as they seemed to have grown into enemies rather than captain and subordinate over time. She did not try to enrage him, nor he to her but they simply collided every time chance to clash was formed. Gillie was the kind of man everyone liked, for he took to himself and when he did open up, he did so in poem and song. People could wipe a tear from their cheeks listening to his songs and then not worry about him later as he genuinely touched them for the sake of a song or a story. Lyv wondered how Gillie felt about captain Taj, but she knew he would not soon say. Also, he was not in the legion of Ralleigh’s and would therefore see a different captain to who Lyv saw.

 

“We should go after them, Ralleigh is counting on all his men. He is out there with a small group and I should not have gotten so far behind him and the others,” Lyv’s found sounded through with worry and her eyes squinted as she thought about where to find her captain. They would not be noisy or leave clear markings, they would not look to be found. Lyv and Gillie decided to leave his horse behind and make a good trip on foot, they would try to go near the village, then surround its traces to find the group. The horse would be safer here and Gillie could reclaim his friend when he had delivered his message. And so it was, Lyv took the lead as she had been in the village earlier and knew how to recognise the way. She soon found a familiar looking tree and some stones piled together in a peculiar way. She realized she had wondered about the stones earlier and was glad she had now.

 

 

Lyv Tylin

Tower Guard

 

***

 

Ralleigh looked around him, sniffing he air and feeling his lungs get filled with the dirt and burn smells that the Shadowspawn had left behind. He gathered his group and found that Lyv was not there. He ordered his guards to pay attention and find her, but not head back to track her down. She would reappear and right now, they had a mission to complete. He was angry at Lyv for disappearing like this, but did not let the others know. He was focused on their task and had to lead the small group through enemy lines. The wind changed, one of his men remarked and Ralleigh wondered if this would be in their advantage, could it be at all? They soon found this was clearly a mistake and a very basic one for a trolloc had sniffed their scent and was on their tale, behind them. Ralleigh found a place to enter the village through a garden and climbed over, gently moving past trees and brush to find a burnt down house in front of him. Unfortunately, his men were a bit further behind him and found themselves facing the trolloc who did not put much effort into hiding himself. They screamed and drew their swords and weapons and soon the three men were battling the one beast, but not winning nor losing in any way.

 

Bernt was struck in the leg and could not get up again, Ralleigh tried to help him to his feet and called Lance to cover him when he found himself to be relieved seeing Lyv, with another guard he did not recognise immediately coming from behind the trolloc attacker. Lyv and Lance were now fighting their attacker and could with the help from the stranger send him off. He did not go down, he merely ran off and Ralleigh was sure he would be back with reinforcement. This was supposed to be a win, a scout mission with quick guerrilla attacks but it looked more and more to be a losing battle. He decided to try and remain calm and see what he could salvage of this mission. At least bring back enough information and keep his men and women alive, that was their leader and the one who was responsible for their safety. “We cannot salvage this village, we have to head back,” Ralleigh said to his men and pulled Bernt over his shoulder, helping the fellow guard to stumble along with him. Lyv looked defiant and said, “We should stay and see where they are,” Ralleigh nodded, “You can do that, as soon as I relieve you from your duty. Which is not going to happen anytime soon Lyv Tylin. You are part of my troop and I say we head back now, that trolloc is coming back and we don’t have time,” it was too late. While they had stood their talking and thinking about the situation grunts and noises appeared from behind the burnt ruins.

 

“Guard, your name and captain please,” Ralleigh shouted towards the strange guard he had appeared at Lyv’s side. “You are now under my command for the time being,” he said when he understood this was a tower guard from another mission. “We have to head back to our camp, but as they might follow, we have to try and find detours, they can’t find the camp!” and then started moving away. He felt Lyv’s reluctance even without seeing her and grunted under his breath. She was too young at heart for work in the Borderlands. She expected victory to come as easy as in training in the Yards. She had yet so much to learn and there was so little time for him to be a teacher. He had to lead them to safety now, and the enemy away from his camp. He did not have time to help her deal with that, she would have to find a way herself. They were on their way, feeling the enemy close to them and Ralleigh asked Lance to scout a way ahead, into a path that would lead them to the camp. Bernt kept himself going but he was in pain, whatever detour they found it could not be too long or they would not be able to help the wounded guard.

 

Ralleigh Taj

Captain

 

OOC: Again moving the story along. I decided to use this training for my Failure req, so I don't think they will be very safe back in the camp. Time for a nice battle!

[Shepherd]

‘Light! I don’t have a sword!’

 

Swift as the breeze he drew the long dirk from his belt and ran after Lyv. The other Tower Guards were already facing the Trolloc, their battle cries filling the air.

 

‘I can’t die here, in this place. I won’t be killed by any of those monsters. I won’t!! Not today…’

 

Lyv ran around to the front of the Trolloc, standing beside her comrade, while Gillie stayed behind it’s back. He planed to distract the monster, causing it to turn, leaving a clear opening for the others to strike.

 

‘I’ll be the bate, even if I only have a small hook..’ His dirk wouldn’t do any damage against the Trolloc’s dented armor and thick hide, but Gillie was determined to draw at least a little blood.

 

Aiming for the Trolloc’s wrist, Gillie made a quick lung forward and slashed. A thin red line blossomed on the not quite human hand. A shallow cut, but it had been enough to draw the monsters attention. Gillie ducked, throwing himself to the ground and rolling away, barely dodging the Trolloc’s backswing.

 

“Lyv!” he shouted, “help!”

 

It was up to her and the other guard. All Gillie could do now was try to ovoid the Trolloc’s attack…

 

By some blessed miracle Lyv and the other guard were able to make the Trolloc turn and flee. If Gillie hadn’t had the Void wrapped tightly around his emotions he would have wept from shear relief. That had been his first time facing a Trolloc in battle and it was nothing like he had imagined.

 

“…to weak…” he whispered. “…I’m just to…”

 

‘But I’ll get stronger! I must!!’

 

Suddenly Captain Taj was standing before him and it took Gillie a moment to realize that he was being addressed.

 

“Umm… yes sir, I’m Tower Guard Gillie Cole, from Fifth Company.” He saluted, fist to heart, and reached into his shirt, pulling out the leather envelope. “I’m to deliver this to you and take back any messages to my commanders.”

 

The Captain took the envelope and shoved it into a coat pocket before ordering everyone to move out. As the man walked away Gillie sighed, “Well, it looks like I have to stay till he decides to give my a message.”

 

Gillie Cole

Tower Guard