The Attempted Resurgence of the Illusionist, Part Two

A Merciless Encounter

12th of Sun's Dusk

At dawn, they set forth for the camp. Cornelius had devised a plan that would avoid bloodshed. It was up to Vincente, whose charisma outmatched the others. He would tell the Nords that they were peaceful and ask why they were killing people. Meanwhile, the others, especially Na-Wur, who'd be right by the entrance of the Nord's main tent, would set up a perimeter. They would all be set up with arrows nocked, fully ready to fire.

The camp consisted of three tents: one large, and two open and unpretentious. Two tall figures were standing, talking to one another, serious and disciplined. Another was sleeping, and one more, practicing archery. Who knew how many lay within the tent. Vincente walked forward, arms crossed, and then held up one hand and waved that he came in peace. The others had taken position in the appropriate spots, and waited for anything out of the ordinary. The Nord chieftain, as identified by his helmet, emerged from the large tent and stared into the Vincente's eyes. The chieftain whispered something incomprehensible, and an arrow came out of nowhere and hit the healer's chest, knocking him to the ground. Na-Wur shot the chieftain in the leg, but it didn't even slow the huge man down as charged at the Argonian; before Na-Wur could react, the chieftain slammed him to the ground with a warhammer.

Varus and Cornelius had managed to bring one man down with arrows. Cornelius ordered Varus to try to heal Vincente and Na-Wur, and that he would hold the bandits off. Two Nords, one wielding a hammer, the other an axe, attacked. Cornelius bashed back the hammer-wielding foe with his shield. Varus finished him off with a bolt of lightning.

From here, Cornelius saw the chieftain, his eyes red with blood fury. The Nord charged into Cornelius's shield, but barely staggered. An arrow grazed the side of Cornelius' helmet. However, Varus had once again joined the fray, firing a light spell for distraction and drawing the bowman away from the ex-Legionnaire. Cornelius unleashed a flurry of jabs and counters with his longsword. The old man was still quicker than the Nord's slow warhammer, and it showed. He cut the Nord down at the knees, and the chieftain fell to the ground, panting, yet laughing at the same time.

"Who are you? Why do you attack us without reason!?" Cornelius exclaimed, staggered at the thought of such a vile human being.

The crippled Nord simply laughed, then turned to dust before Cornelius could slit his throat. He saw Varus had finished off the other threat, but Varus was stunned at something different.

Vincente had been branded across the chest in blood. To the right of the mark that pierced him were the words "Jagar Tharn". All knew about Jagar Tharn, the battlemage who had used illusion magic to look like the emperor while keeping the real emperor imprisoned. Were these Nords followers of Jagar Tharn? Cornelius and Varus searched through the tent, but found nothing more. However, the situation had gotten much more serious. Na-Wur had awoken; he was injured, but could move under his own power. However, Vincente had still not woken up; he would have be carried, which would hinder their progress on the journey back. Varus suggested they go to the Arcane University, where they would be healed and could find out more on Jagar Tharn.