Flight to Safety - Redjak Fallowen & Zarya Greyson
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 3:58 am
It was an unnatural quiet in the coastal city of Rolstenford. Even those of mischievous or malicious intent who might normally wander the streets at night weren’t out. The priests had returned to their temple hours ago and the benefits from their swinging censers had long since dissipated. The few watchmen tasked with sentry duty huddled close to one another and whispered prayers of thanks for every moment that they were still alive. So the sight of two individuals moving through the city was not what they were expecting.
“We must keep moving, my Lady,” the tall man armored in plate mail with a large bow strung to his back said as he had to all but drag their mounts through the streets behind them.
Redjak clenched his cloak tight around him, the hood of it barely fitting over his helm. It wasn’t for the cold that he kept tightly bundled, but rather to hide the glint that the moon would give his polished armor.
“I know,” his companion said softly, her blonde hair tucked under her own hooded cloak. “It’s just so… sad,” Zarya whispered, looking around at a city that feared its very streets.
“Things are not well here anymore than anywhere else, which is why we must take the boat,” Redjak urged.
They both heard the sound at exactly the same time, although neither could say what it was exactly. A deeper silence that disturbed the already silent night perhaps? It threatened to send chills up Zarya’s spine, but she braved through it.
“I can deal with them,” she said with determination.
“No doubt,” Redjak replied, “but what of the others that will surely come after that. Even together we can not hold back them anymore then we could stop the tides from coming in.”
Finally Zarya relented. She knew her companion and guardian was right. It just infuriated her so that her own people must cower in fear in such as grand of a place as Rolstenford. The only signs of life was the smoke rising from a number of chimneys, but even those fires burned for safety more than warmth. Flame was about the only thing that offered a chance to survive for the common folk.
I can not, will not lose her as I lost my family, Redjak thought as he struggled with their mounts. We must make it to those shores far to the north. Our only hope is the aid that was offered from the benevolent ruler there.
Finally the northern docks came into view, the water quite serene in the moonlight. However, Redejak knew they were now being stalked. They had precious little time, but the guardsmen ahead could help delay their foes.
“Run, my lady! Now!” Redjak commanded, giving up secrecy for full-on flight. “Watchmen of Rolstenford, to us!,” he pleaded. “We are in dire straights and must reach our boat!”
The guardsmen were alerted to them before, but his words sprung them into action. The two archers on the gate towers overlooking the docks lit their arrows while the two on the ground drew steel. One readied the gate to be closed while the other moved to protect him.
Zarya ran, although she faltered when she saw Redjak unable to get the horses to cooperate. They were becoming more wild with fear, even the trained warhorse he rode did not desire to be caught by the foul creatures closing on them.
Muttering a curse, Redjak released the reins and drew his own steel, a massive blade that most men would need two hands to properly wield. He slapped each horse’s rump with the flat of the blade and yelled. They needed no further provocation, and ran past the gate out onto the docks, nearly trampling Zarya in their reckless haste.
Redjak began backing up, holding his blade high and ready, but he moved too slowly. He began to see glimpses of shadowy forms moving among the darkness of the buildings around him. The archers above him hesitated to fire lest they set their own city ablaze. Something lunged for Rejak and Zarya cried out. However, he was faster, if only just barely, and brought his blade down to separate arm from body. It would only slow the unholy thing down though, and so he dared move a bit faster. The sounds of the gate beginning to close further motivated him.
Zarya reached deep into herself and found the warmth of the magic inside of her. She felt it coursing through her, first far down and then slowly rising, filling her like blood through her veins. Words of power escaped her lips and she felt the tingle in her fingers.
A ball of light sprung into existence where Redjak had been standing only a moment before. He had to shield his eyes which lowered his guard, but the effect was much more devastating to the foes arrayed against him. They curled back from the illumination with hisses and the archers suddenly had more targets than they cared for. They diligently went to work, burying flaming arrows into the hideous bodies of the enemy. Redjak was grabbed by the shoulders and dragged through the shrinking gap of the closing gate by a guardsmen. A moment later and the gates shut with a slam.
Zarya ran up to Redjak and looked up into his eyes barely seen behind helm and under hood. Breathless, he merely nodded both his thanks and his affirmation that he was alright. Zarya put a hand on his armored bicep and mouthed a silent prayer of thanks.
The pair recovered their mounts and found the boat waiting for them. It was a small craft, barely of size to make the long and perilous journey across the Shimmering Sea. The sailors were a nervous wreck, letting out audible sighs and exaggerated slumps of their shoulders upon seeing the pair arrive.
Once the horses were secure, Redjak walked the ship himself to make sure it was seaworthy and Zarya checked the course to ensure the men knew what they were doing. As the ship left the dock, both of them felt as comfortable as they had been in a while.
Zarya stood at the stern of the ship, watching her home shrink away. The sense of loss was mixed with the thrill of adventure and she found she didn’t quite know how she was truly feeling just then. Redjak joined her there after a time.
“Don’t worry, my Lady,” he told her. “We will return and we will make it right again.”
Although she said nothing in reply, Zarya believed those words completely.
“We must keep moving, my Lady,” the tall man armored in plate mail with a large bow strung to his back said as he had to all but drag their mounts through the streets behind them.
Redjak clenched his cloak tight around him, the hood of it barely fitting over his helm. It wasn’t for the cold that he kept tightly bundled, but rather to hide the glint that the moon would give his polished armor.
“I know,” his companion said softly, her blonde hair tucked under her own hooded cloak. “It’s just so… sad,” Zarya whispered, looking around at a city that feared its very streets.
“Things are not well here anymore than anywhere else, which is why we must take the boat,” Redjak urged.
They both heard the sound at exactly the same time, although neither could say what it was exactly. A deeper silence that disturbed the already silent night perhaps? It threatened to send chills up Zarya’s spine, but she braved through it.
“I can deal with them,” she said with determination.
“No doubt,” Redjak replied, “but what of the others that will surely come after that. Even together we can not hold back them anymore then we could stop the tides from coming in.”
Finally Zarya relented. She knew her companion and guardian was right. It just infuriated her so that her own people must cower in fear in such as grand of a place as Rolstenford. The only signs of life was the smoke rising from a number of chimneys, but even those fires burned for safety more than warmth. Flame was about the only thing that offered a chance to survive for the common folk.
I can not, will not lose her as I lost my family, Redjak thought as he struggled with their mounts. We must make it to those shores far to the north. Our only hope is the aid that was offered from the benevolent ruler there.
Finally the northern docks came into view, the water quite serene in the moonlight. However, Redejak knew they were now being stalked. They had precious little time, but the guardsmen ahead could help delay their foes.
“Run, my lady! Now!” Redjak commanded, giving up secrecy for full-on flight. “Watchmen of Rolstenford, to us!,” he pleaded. “We are in dire straights and must reach our boat!”
The guardsmen were alerted to them before, but his words sprung them into action. The two archers on the gate towers overlooking the docks lit their arrows while the two on the ground drew steel. One readied the gate to be closed while the other moved to protect him.
Zarya ran, although she faltered when she saw Redjak unable to get the horses to cooperate. They were becoming more wild with fear, even the trained warhorse he rode did not desire to be caught by the foul creatures closing on them.
Muttering a curse, Redjak released the reins and drew his own steel, a massive blade that most men would need two hands to properly wield. He slapped each horse’s rump with the flat of the blade and yelled. They needed no further provocation, and ran past the gate out onto the docks, nearly trampling Zarya in their reckless haste.
Redjak began backing up, holding his blade high and ready, but he moved too slowly. He began to see glimpses of shadowy forms moving among the darkness of the buildings around him. The archers above him hesitated to fire lest they set their own city ablaze. Something lunged for Rejak and Zarya cried out. However, he was faster, if only just barely, and brought his blade down to separate arm from body. It would only slow the unholy thing down though, and so he dared move a bit faster. The sounds of the gate beginning to close further motivated him.
Zarya reached deep into herself and found the warmth of the magic inside of her. She felt it coursing through her, first far down and then slowly rising, filling her like blood through her veins. Words of power escaped her lips and she felt the tingle in her fingers.
A ball of light sprung into existence where Redjak had been standing only a moment before. He had to shield his eyes which lowered his guard, but the effect was much more devastating to the foes arrayed against him. They curled back from the illumination with hisses and the archers suddenly had more targets than they cared for. They diligently went to work, burying flaming arrows into the hideous bodies of the enemy. Redjak was grabbed by the shoulders and dragged through the shrinking gap of the closing gate by a guardsmen. A moment later and the gates shut with a slam.
Zarya ran up to Redjak and looked up into his eyes barely seen behind helm and under hood. Breathless, he merely nodded both his thanks and his affirmation that he was alright. Zarya put a hand on his armored bicep and mouthed a silent prayer of thanks.
The pair recovered their mounts and found the boat waiting for them. It was a small craft, barely of size to make the long and perilous journey across the Shimmering Sea. The sailors were a nervous wreck, letting out audible sighs and exaggerated slumps of their shoulders upon seeing the pair arrive.
Once the horses were secure, Redjak walked the ship himself to make sure it was seaworthy and Zarya checked the course to ensure the men knew what they were doing. As the ship left the dock, both of them felt as comfortable as they had been in a while.
Zarya stood at the stern of the ship, watching her home shrink away. The sense of loss was mixed with the thrill of adventure and she found she didn’t quite know how she was truly feeling just then. Redjak joined her there after a time.
“Don’t worry, my Lady,” he told her. “We will return and we will make it right again.”
Although she said nothing in reply, Zarya believed those words completely.