Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Chapter 1, The Charge

[Hrothgar]

Lorne looks up in surprise as Kaela and Valurel enter the home. He drops Melin's arm and swings the thick block of wood at Valurel clumsily, losing his balance. Valurel launches himself on Lorne, raking the small Dorn, blood flowing freely. Lorne screams in terror, a high pitched, blood-curdling scream that does little to honor his warrior ancestors.

Kaela runs in, grabs Melin's arm, and drags her across the cottage and out on to the porch leaving a streak of blood on the ground.

Reznik wastes little time bounding into the home, his shortsword thrust into Lorne's gut. The Dorn collapses onto the floor weeping, blood widening in a pool underneath the man. Shadow Scarred, you've killed me! Tears run down the pathetic man's cheeks. He screams, I had no feud with you! I don't want to die. Please help me? Please?

Outside, on the porch, a moan escapes Melin's cracked lips as she awakes. She sits up and looks from Kaela, to Starhl, and then to Brian. She places her hand to her head and glances absently at the red wetness across her hand and running down her forearm. Afraid and confused, she gasps hoarsely, My child? Where is Aislinn? Where is Uriel? Spying her daughter, she extends her arms, tears running down her face. Aislinn!

 

[Krug]

Starhl stands back, a bit awkwardly. Yes, summon every Orc wandering about in a mile's radius with all this noise, won't you? thinks the barbarian to himself. He starts moving around in a wider circle, gripping the shaft of his axe hard.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Valurel moves to silence Lorne, once and for all. He feels no pity for the pathetic wretch at his feet nor does he offer any mercy. Using his claws, he lashes out at the man's throat, to end his miserable life.

OOC: If Reznik does not interfere, Valurel will administer a coup-de-grace attack.

 

[Bobitron]

Kaela frowns as she stands over the reunited family, or what is left of it. No good can come of this. It's hard enough to take a girl, nevermind her mother. Especially since she is wounded, she thinks.

"We need to move. Now. Reznik? Where should we go? I don't know what to do!" You can all hear the panic rising in Kaela's throat, and her eyes dart back down towards the village as though she expects a horde of orcs to come bounding to the cottage at any moment.

Kaela leans in to tend to Melin's wound, wiping the blood from her face and feeling her skull for broken bones. She might not survive...

ooc: Heal check at +4, not that it would really do anything by the rules.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Brian looks around and says, "I think we have lingered long enough. We should get going as our trail might be an easy one to follow."

 

[elapse]

Blood has been spilled...so it begins.

Reznik
Reznik looked Lorne in the eyes as he ran his sword into the townsman, in his head he heard the first name of the growing list that would die, "Lorne, the Betrayer". Reznik turned away from the man, leaving him to his wounds and not evening turning to look as Valurel pounced on the wretch like a wild animal. As it happened, as Reznik made an alteration to the list in his mind of the future dead, he showed no emotion. There was no anger, no hate, no smile, and no elation at the vengeance, only cold impassiveness. For at the end of the list of orcs, legates, betrayers and shadow warriors, all of the future dead, was Reznik's own name.

He hustled out of the cottage and back to where Starhl, Kaela, Brian, Aislinn and Melin stood. The look of irritation was easy to read on Starhl's face. It was likely that the orcs had heard the scream and would be here shortly. As Kaela asked her question, "Reznik, where should we go?" the Shadow Scarred man looked at his companions, slowly moving his eye contact from one to the other as he thought. After but a few moments, he swallows hard as if fighting against his throat for control to speak and said, "I have allies at Port Esben. Between Starhl and the wild elf we should be able to stay away from the roads and travel south", Reznik looked to Starhl as he said the last sentence. Reznik continued, still looking at Starhl, "There is something strange with this girl. I saw her touch you as she prayed to a goddess, and you no longer winced from your wounds. There has been no gods since the last war, only the Shadow". He then shifts his attention to all of those near him and continues in a hoarse, whispering voice, "I am making no assumptions as to the girl, but I suggest we stay together if any of you plan to see this through".

 

[Hrothgar]

Reznik emerges from the cottage, his face impassive. Inside, Lorne's screams of pain and terror continue for a short time before ending in a bubbling gurgle. Quietly Valurel follows Reznik, his hands coated in blood.

Lorne, Bastard of Caft, Betrayer of Caft, is dead.

Kaela aids Melin as best she can. Melin's wound is grievous. The gash on her head is deep, the skull damaged. Melin may not survive the night.

At Kaela's inquiry, Aislinn shifts in her mother's arms and looks up, silently listening to Reznik. Meekly, Aislinn speaks, We can find safety east of here - on the other side of the forest. The goddess that lives there will protect us. Aislinn turns and buries her face in her mother's chest, thankful to be with her mother once again.

At that moment, an orc black horn blats forth from the forest in the valley below. A harsh shout rises up, followed by answering horns from the village. The dead orcs in the forest have been discovered. They are coming.

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

When Aislinn speaks of a 'goddess' on the other side of the forest, Valurel looks at her in wonder. How is it possible that the child is still able to keep her wits about her? Or maybe she is losing touch with reality, because talk of a goddess in this wretched world seems like pure nonsense. Nevertheless, Valurel is not willing to see the girl suffer any more than she already has this day. He straightens up from his crouch and faces the others.

"I not abandon mother to savagery. I carry." He moves closer, preparing to pick up Melin.

 

[Krug]

"I will help, or take turns" says Starhl. He will not abandon the woman to savages. A God? How can there be one in such a time of darkness? The barbarian nods at Reznik's words. "I know how she has such... power. But in her might be the way to destroy the ones who would seek to destroy us. Lead the way," he says.

 

[Ranger Rick]

Brain, winches a bit from his wound with the 2 orcs, "I will also help to carry, but I fear with those horns blasting, we need to get out of hear...east is as good as any other direction."