Dettricks Journal
Ty was looking a lot worse for wear. The ice from the last attack against her still shimmered on her studded leather, giving it a frosty glaze. What worried me more, was the look of pain on her face, and the blood oozing from two nasty cuts on her arm.
"You OK Ty?" I called, as everyone took stock of themselves and each it other.
"I've been better." she smiled wryly. "Damn magic user actually hit me twice... ME!" she shook her head in disbelief.
I chuckled with relief. She wouldn't be joking with me if she was hurt that bad.
Yev, Jalore and Urdin quickly patched up everyone so we were once again in fairly good health. Oddly enough, this was my third battle of getting only minor wounds. Very odd for me since I am usually targeted first by the enemy. "Not that I'm complaining", I thought laughing.
We decided to continue north on our original mission and started traveling that way. About two hours later, Ty signaled us from her advance position that she'd seen something. I signaled back to check it out, discretely.
A few minutes later, she walked back out of the forest, a wild elf following. Her impish grin let me know she'd probably got the drop on him.
Evidently he was with a group of about 20 elves who were going to defend our tree fort town from an army of Orcs... which while not surprising, was definitely cause for concern.
They also let us know of a post a little south, in the middle of the patrol we'd encountered, that was heavily defended by these Fey'ri creatures.
This was a little too close to home than I'd like. But we couldn't ignore the Orc army either.
I pulled Ty aside. "Ty, our home is in trouble it sounds. Do you think you could head back with these elves and take command of the defenses?", I asked. "Jeeves is a capable fellow, but he doesn't have your experience."
Ty chuckled and nodded. "Your right about that. I couldn't do what he does with the day-to-day administration, but war is not a skill he has. I will go back and see what can be done."
I smiled in relief and gave her a hug, "I don't know what I would do without YOU." I told her. "Be careful, K. No heroics that get you killed."
She punched me on the shoulder, her expression solemn. "I worry more about you." she told me somberly. Then she smiled, "Hell D," she continued lightly, "Your too stubborn to die. So don't, or I'll give you reason to want to stay dead." She winked me, blew a kiss to where Yev'rah was still hiding and was gone with the elves moving silently and swiftly.
Rubbing my shoulder where she'd punched me none to gently. I shrugged at my companions and we were off south.
Towards mid-day, I reckoned we were getting close to the fort, when Yev'rah called out in pain and quickly moved around the tree he had been scouting, and disappeared. He must have been hit hard, as I could see blood dripping from a vicious tear in his armor.
Jalore rode up quickly to cover Yev'rah's flank and hit something invisible, that hit him back. Controlling his horse by voice alone, he struck out with his greatsword, connecting with something.
Rolling my eyes, I swallowed another potion of Invisibility, and looked over just in time for Creeg to get hit by another giant dog-like creature. Swinging wildly, he connected once with the creature, but he was obviously very frustrated.
"Creeg!" I called, "Use this." and riding over to him, I dropped another potion so he could grab it. Then turning, I cast a quick spell, creating a region of attraction between two of the giant dog-things. The third has appeared while I was distracted with Creeg and attacked our new elf companion.
As the lightning arc'd between the two creatures, they howled in pain.
Another noise caught my attention, as a Fey'ri appeared over by the tree I know Yev was hiding by. Shaking my head, I cast another force spell, to try and take him out before he could do much damage. but missed when after forming the ball in my palm, I lobbed it over his head.
Cursing my ineptness, I saw that Creeg had drunk the potion I'd given him and was in process of slicing and dicing the creature next to him, As well, Urdin had moved to help Jalore and the two of them seemed to have everything under control there.
Using a few heat rays, I was able to help the other bring down the remaining creatures, but it looked like we'd been hit pretty hard.
Luckily, Yev'rah had prepared for such an emergency with his scroll collection. Using all our healing, we proceeded at full strength to where we knew the fort was.
We moved quickly to capitalize on our use of the potions we'd already expended and came to the edge of the forest in short time.
The fort was well constructed with tree-top observation platforms and form fitting walls between. Coming up with a fairly comprehensive plan, we had Yev'rah scouted out the place and climb one of the tree platforms. Signaling us with a mirror he was ready, we proceeded to attack.
Casting a lightning bolt, I blew a hold in the wall for the fighters to get through. Looking up, I could see a shadowy creature beginning to dive on Yev'rah's location, and casting a quick spell, tried to intercept the creature with a Hail Storm in mid air. Successfully hitting it, it disappeared in the storm.
Urdin had already cast his plant growth according to plan, and as I reached the wall and dismounted, I readied my other spell for immobilizing anyone inside.
But as I dismounted, a HUGE fireball like spell hit my companions and me. Luck was with me, in that I was only hit by part , due to the wall, but it just about made me pass-out anyway.
Gasping for the breath that had been blown out of my body, I cast the Evard's spell that had always been a boon when we needed to immobilize foes. Hopefully that worked.
As Jalore and Creeg ran in and released the prisioners that Yev had signaled us about, the diving creature reappeared and pulling up, hovering, it cast some beam spells at Yev's position.
He seemed hurt, but I couldn't quite tell, until a figure suddenly loomed over him and raising the biggest sword I'd ever seen, struck him once. He dropped like a limp puppet and I knew he was hurt bad... IF he was still alive.
Anger seethed in me and looking up, I cast a big fireball of my own, fueling it with all the anger and frustration I had. The resulting inferno cased the flying figure to slump and fall about two hundred feet to a sickly "Thump" by the outer wall. I grunted in satisfaction.
Seeing the figure disappear from the wall with a burst of light, I cast about for where they might have gone. Urdin called out he was heading to tend to Yev'rah, but as he rounded the wall, caught sight of the sword creature on the ground.
Seeing where he was, I cast another fireball, but just a normal one in that location. Then moving out through the wall, I ran to that area to see what was happening.
Our companion elf, also did a fireball of his own, but the figure with the sword closed with Urdin, striking another mighty blow against him.
Withdrawing, Urdin attempted to go around the attacker, to get to Yev'rah. For my part, I used some more of my Heat Beams against it. "Fall, you spawn of the nine hells!" I yelled in frustration and obligingly, it did.
Whew! That was close. Taking stock of the situation, we now had a bunch of old and young elves being led out of the stockade and Urdin came back carrying the body of our companion Yev'rah.
"I tried to get to him." he mumbled as he sat him on the ground. "But there wasn't anything I could do."
The elves looked around them in the disbelief of the newly freed. Their stamped in hopelessness starting to fade.
Seeing as how there wasn't much else to do and being concerned with Ty and our home, I asked Jalore to escort the prisoners back to our town, while Creeg, Urdin and I forced marched our way back.
Moving quickly and with the healing help of Urdin, we managed to get back in time to help mop up some of the larger remaining Orc bands from the siege. Ty had arrived not a moment too soon and change the tide.
Hugging we excitedly told each other of the various feats that we has accomplished in the past two days. I also informed her of Yev'rah's death.
Her smile vanished and I could see she was a bit more upset than I had anticipated. "Don't worry," I reassured her. "We are not going to let him rot. Not after all he's done and the good friend he's become."
She shook her head and looked at me. "It's not that. I know we will... I just thought... well the two of us seemed to just be invincible when we were out scouting ahead." She shrugged. "I can't help but feel if I'd been there... I might have saved him." Tears in her eyes, she looked away. "I've got to hunt." she said savagely. Running away, I let her go, knowing some Orcs were in for a bad day... and knowing she need to grieve in her own way.
What a couple of days. Now all we needed was a High Priest and one hellishly expensive diamond. But hey, it's just money. Who cared now that our home was a safer place and we could get back to finding Turlang.
Despite the loss and the pain I smiled to myself happily... "Haven't had this much fun in Months!" I sighed contentedly.