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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ruined" data-source="post: 791847" data-attributes="member: 113">1st of Chardot, ‘Divinities Day’ yr. 150 A.V., continuedSurielle responded quicker to the lead guardsman’s command than his subordinates did, and within moments she was wielding a flame scythe in her hands.* She held two of the men at bay, waving the flaming weapon before her. One of the bolder guards rushed her, but earned only a scorching blow to his hand and forearm. As Surielle fought to protect the wounded man, two more figures entered the alley.Tréan and Gerad moved into view of this confrontation. Gerad spotted Marus’ body on the ground, and immediately rushed to fight against the Dragons. Marus was the closest thing to a mentor he had now, and he would be damned if he’d let these guards slaughter him.Tréan advanced cautiously, shocked by the scene before her. She knew very little about this man, Gerad, who brought her here. She could see his wounded friend on the other side of the fray, but the way was completely blocked by what appeared to be city guardsmen. What kind of men must Gerad and his friend be if the city guards were after them? Then again, city guards sometimes had their own code of right and wrong. Confused and reluctant to attack those who had not yet shown any intent to harm her, Tréan offered up a prayer for guidance to the Redeemer. Three of the guards moved to meet Gerad, drawing swords against his spear. Their approach was clumsy, and one paid the final price as Gerad ran him through. The remaining two drew blood from Gerad, but the wounds were shallow. The guard lieutenant, whose name was Blake, surveyed the scene before him and decided to back away. His men weren’t faring well against the spearmen at one end, and the female helping Marus had just set one of his men aflame with her conjured scythe. The leader of the Cresting Waves was dead, which was satisfying in itself.Blake backed down the alleyway, unaware of the elf that waited near the edge of the battle. Silas knew of Blake, and had once received rough treatment at the hands of his men. He saw opportunity and took his shot. Luck sided with Blake, as the unseen arrow clattered off the stone wall near his head. The guardsman whirled, taking a moment to spot his attacker. As Silas drew another arrow, Blake whipped a dagger from his hand that buried into Silas’ thigh. Blake continued to back away from the archer, wary of his shots. Silas connected once, sending the arrow clean through the man’s calf. The lieutenant limped out of sight around a corner as the last shot clattered against a shop wall. Silas considered pursuing the guardsman, but decided instead to help Gerad. If he was protected, assisting him may earn him favor from the Scaled.Tréan watched the fight spread out before her, feeling the pressure of making a decision. The female with the flaming scythe was holding her own, but the guards weren’t trying to subdue her - they were trying to kill her. Tréan could at least prevent that.Tréan lowered her spear and moved near Gerad’s position. One of the guards stabbed towards Gerad’s chest, but Tréan caught his chain sleeve with the spear. He tried to shake the spear loose, but had his sword knocked from his hands for the effort. Tréan had no desire to kill these guardsmen. At least if they were unarmed perhaps they would not have to die.Another crossbow fired, the bolt coming close to Surielle’s head. It would not be long before the crossbow found its mark. She maneuvered to keep the sword-wielding guard from her, stepping to the man with the crossbow. She ran her scythe across the archer, and the flames engulfed his crossbow and quiver. The man ran from her, desperately trying to strip off the burning items.Gerad noted the healer’s skill with a spear. She skillfully disarmed one of the guards, making him an easy target. Gerad moved in and finished him off with a quick plunge of his spear. Tréan continued to disarm the opponents with Gerad coming up behind to finish them off. The bloodshed was certainly not what Tréan had in mind, but this was no time to argue ethics; there were lives on the line.Between the three of them (and what appeared to be arrows coming out of a side alley), the battlefield was finally shrinking. As Tréan and Gerad continued to advance, Surielle took another slice off the flaming guard in front of her and watched him fall. This left only one more threat from the guards: a man with a burned hand pointing a cross bow directly at her. As Surielle prepared her flaming scythe for one last slash, a grey fletched arrow came out of the alley and buried itself deep in the man’s neck.As the crossbowman fell, an elf stepped out of the side-alley to join the three battle-weary strangers. “North,” the group heard a whispered, rattling moan from the fallen man. Surielle and Tréan both knelt over Marus and tried to assess his condition. With a nod of recognition for each other’s skills, a look passed between them as they both realized it was too late.The healers passed on the disappointing news. As the disparate group started to introduce themselves, Silas spoke up, “One of them got away. We should get away from here before he brings reinforcements.”  Realizing the wisdom behind his words, the group hurried off, leaving the bodies behind. Gerad paused, making a silent promise to his fallen commander.You will be avenged, Marus.* Surielle’s version of Flame Blade is a flaming scythe, taught by the Sisterhood of the Scythe.</blockquote>

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