Saga - Fangs of the Fortress, 20 and 21 Octavio

# Destruction of a Skeleton Warrior

I sat a chatted with my fellow Fangs of the Fortress in the open air of the early afternoon. Kaldor was on his farspeaker, and suddenly stood.

“A skeleton warrior is roaming the wood nearby.”

Calcifer, Bart, and I stood up, eager for a bit of adventure. I gathered my helm and staff and met the others at the Northern gate. We four merrily tromped along until we reach a T. Kaldor was unsure which way to go, and someone suggested splitting up. Bart was against it right away. I mentioned that if we did split up, we could simply yell to the others when we saw it. What high regard I had for us all in that moment against what would turn out to be a match for us all.

Calcifer and I turned left and bid good luck to Bart and Kaldor, who went right. We chatted loudly and stepped quickly on when, from behind a boulder, the Skeleton Warrior lunged. It came on us with fury and fireballs, and so surprised by its power and viciousness that we turned tail and ran, screaming for our friends. The Warrior was as fast as we, and it charged at our heels, blasting fireballs at our heads. Kaldor and Bart were nowhere in sight, and so on we fled, utter terror speeding us along.

Soon, Kaldor and Bart came running to our aid, and so we turned to face it. With sword and buckler, it moved with stunning agility. Before the fight had hardly begun, Calcifer and Kaldor lay unconscious in the dirt, with the Warrior hardly scratched. Bart began his bonesinging and tried to defend himself, while I, too, lunged and swiped and dodged against it. Then, Bart was struck down.

A cold terror came over over, and I cried for aid from anyone that might hear. The Warrior and I clashed, and by the luck of Keepers, I was able to defend myself against its flurries and land strikes on it. My leg and shoulder began to feel the dampness of blood. We battled on for minutes, neither getting the best of the other, but only managing a solid strike on occasion. I was heaving from exhaustion and knew my was near. The Warrior stepped back and began to jog away. Was it fleeing? I took the moment to cup my hands and call again for help. The Warrior turned to me again and stalked clsoer, and I realized what it was up to. It was changing tactics. Sizzling fireballs fired from its hands in my direction. Though we stood merely a few feet apart, I was able to dodge them mainly out of desperate fear. I charged toward the Warrior and struck it a few more times, but still it stood and we fell again into a frantic melee.

After a minute, the Warrior turned and spend away again. This time, I knew what it was up to and didn’t allow it to put any space between us for conjuring fireballs. But I wasn’t quite quick enough. One blazing ball missed me by inches. I lunged and struck the Warrior as it released yet another bolt. This time the spell struck true and I fell to my knees in agony before losing consciousness.

When I awoke, I was laid not on the ground, but on a wooden bench with my fellows around me. I had been saved at the brink of death by the brave Tako and Raphalisa, who came to my aid when they heard me calling. They arrived too late to save the others, but by the blessing of the Weave, Kaldor, Bart and Calcifer were returned to the world with another chance at life.

# Other Notes and Matters

The arrival of Reaper, a mechanical who wants to kill and make money.  Is a rogue element in Swordhaven, noone is sure what to make of them.  A Thriddle owes them a single Hecta and is willing to hunt them down for it.  Fought a great beast to become a champion of sorts.  Was stopped from attacking a bird.  Instead everyone had to carry eggs.  Which to them, took too long and everyone still needed protection from other creatures attacking them.  Wonders if anyone is going to shoot them in the back to kill them for their money, and to get rid of a potential problem.