The Rune Stone

Battle

Nicholas entered the church, making a bee-line for the revered mother who was busy having a small sermon in one of the side room, as her main hall had been converted. The rogue waited patiently for her to finish, despite the urgency of their quest. He approached her humbly, nodding his head. " What is it you need, child ? " she asked in a kind voice and a fair face. " Sir Perth needs holy protection for the knight against the creatures. " replied Nicholas. The mother placed a hand on her brow as her expression changed sour. " I have done all I can for them. I pray for them, each night, and seek the Maker's forgiveness for their sins before they face their deaths. But what Sir Perth seeks is something that is not in my power to give. " she'd say with an exhale. " He believes that I can protect them against these creatures, like a shield, but that is a thing only the Maker himself can grant. " Nicholas responded " Well, can't you just tell them the Maker watches over them ? Morale is a powerful thing, you know. " " I suppose their belief in the Maker's power could inspire them, but it just feels like trickery... " answered mother Hannah, pondering. " Very well, I will do what I must if they feel it keeps them safe. I have a number of silver cast holy symbols. Tell sir Perth that he can have them, and that wearing them will grant him and his knights the Maker's protection. " she'd end with a sigh.

On the other side of town Torstein spent a great deal of time ransacking what might come in usefull alongside the knights of Sir Perth. Among the materials for the barricade, by far the most useful thing he had found were a couple of barrels of oil. He hoisted these alongside the other men to the top of the hill, by the bridge where he conviened with Kralich that they could use them to set the creatures ablaze. " I heard Nicholas saw you flinging fire bolts, so I reckoned you could do the same with these things, set the stone of the bridge on fire when the dead come. Have them light up like the Northen lights. Eh ? " the old barbarian would say setting one of the barrels down, much to the surprise of the mage. " Not bad. Not bad at all mister Torstein. I must say, I am impressed. That would indeed work very well. " answered the mage with a genuine smile on his face after he finshed drawing a rune in the dirt, by the bridge.

The sun was now on its way down, being already half-way eating by the waters of the lake, washing everything around in a warm but ominous light. Nicholas returned with amulets in tow, handing them to Sir Perth. " Will these do ? Mother Hannah said it was the best she could do. " he'd say, presenting them. Sir Perth studied the amulets briefly with a smile on his face. " If these are the same holy symbols that the priests wear, I am more than happy to see and have them. I am glad that mother Hannah finally saw some sense. " he'd say taking them.

Nicholas climbed up on the windmill, overlooking the whole surrounding area. He had two full quivers by his side, all made by the busy militia in the square. Torstein stood shoulder to shoulder with the knights a few feet back back from contraption they had set up while the mage was behind a barricade. Then, the rain started, a gentle shower that would turn more evil and dense as the night went on. They first sign of the coming fight was a trail of dust or smoke trailing from the castle bridge, moving at great speed towards the shore and the hills. It was upon them in minutes, thick fog-like smoke engulfing them as the alarm bells within the city rang. The knights prepared themselves and the company followed suit just as Dwyn the dwarf and his thugs joined the ranks of the knights. Surprisingly this further booster the morale of the knights; they were glad to have more people around.

Then, the first wave came, rotting corpses with mangle faces sprinted towards them, shrieking at the top of their lungs, claws out. It was a dozen, no more no less. Both Kralich and Nicholas held their fire while Torstein and the other men with swords and axes dealt with them. They prooved formidable foes, shrugging off most normal blows, only dismemberement and hits to the head seemingly stopping them. Then, the attack for proper started, three times the number of undead came at them, prompting the mage to launch a fire ball right for the oil barrels, setting them ablaze. The walking dead caught on fire immidiately as they stepped on the bridge and while slowed, showed no sign of stopping. Nicholas, lit his arrows one by one on the nearby torch as he began peppering the ones that trickled through and were not consumed by the flames. It seemed to go well for a while, the fire lasted a decent few minutes, but the dead did not seem to show any sign of stopping. 

Distant screams and cries were then heard from the main square and soon, the sound of combat errupted. Tomas, the bridge guard was seconds later found sprinting towards them, begging. "Please, you have to come down ! The dead, they are coming out of the lake ! From beneath the water. Please." he'd say between grasps for air. Almost instantly Kralich, Torstein and Nicholas reunited and began descending the hill, Sir Perth assuring them that he could hold the line for now alongside his new found dwarven battle brother. 

The main square was a blood bath, corpse both of militia and undead were strewn about the place and the only reason there weren't more militia than corpses was because of the new armor most of them were wearing. Proper and refurbished. The survivors were are gathered around a huge pyre of burning logs, fending off the creatures from all sides. Kralich took a moment to channel a spell; from his finger tips gusts of flame errupting fowards with such force that he leveled about a dozen of the dead, punch a whole through their ranks, just enough to link back up with Murdock and his men. The militia stood shoulder to shoulder with the company, even Owen was out of his shop, dressed in proper chainmail armor and armed with a longsword, and despite his age, he seemed quite proficient and hewing the dead as they came.

The dead attacking here were different, with water dripping off their ceremonial looking clothing, donning golden rings and necklaces or what was left of them as they sprinted forth, biting and clawing at the faces of the militia. Torstein decapitated what was one, perhaps a beautiful woman clad in a tattered red dress, before being forced to one knee, the strain on his wounded leg being too much to bear. But he fought on none the less; chopping the torso of another attacker clean off by the middle. Nicholas came to his side, wielding the sword of a fallen militia member, trying to gain enough room to drag the old barbarian away. " Sorry mate, no dying yet. " he'd say as he got flanked by Murdock and another few militia, covering him as they retreated towards the church door, against which he set Torstein before pulling his bow out again, picking off targets. Kralich flung spells like no tommorrow, visilble strain forming upon him after each ice spear, fire ball or bolt of lightning, yet the dead showed no sign of stopping. They kept on crawing out of the lake, and the castle as it would be indicate by the fighting that reignited itself at the windmill. 

And on it went, till the early hours of the morning, when the waves of dead simply stopped coming. It was a bloody battle, many corpses strewn across the soaked soil and probably many more dragged off into the night. But they had made it, dawn arrived and they were still standing.

After a brief respite, Teagan help a small speech alongside mother Hannah. "We are victorious ! And though this victory came at a great cost, we must remember that none of us would even be here if not for the help of these good folk beside me" would the lord's brother say, making a hand gesture towards the company. This promped mother Hannah to speak up. " Let us give honor to those who gave their lives in the defence of Redcliff. Mayor Murdok, loving husband and father and a devoted protector. We salute you. You and some many others who have perished here; walk with the Maker. Long may you know the peace of his love. " she'd say, a few tears rolling down her eyes as she bowed her head. " The blow we delivered today is enough for me to enter the castle and seek out your lord. Be wary and watch for any signs of attack, we will return with news as soon as we are able. " ended Teagan, having the crowd disperce, but still confining them to the main square.

Teagan then turned to the company. " Now, we've no time to waste. I had a plan, to enter the castle once everyone was safe. Walk with me, up the hill, to the Windmill. " he'd say with a gesture, prompting the rest to follow. On the hill blood still soaked the soil and five of the original six knights were still around, Sir Perth included, luckly. Dwyn on the other hand was without both his bodyguards, grumbling to himself off in a corner. 

" There's a secret passage beneath the windmill, accessible only to my family. I kept it secret because I knew you would want to enter the castle imidiately, I couldn't just leave these people to their --- Maker's breath ! " would say Teagan as he looked off in the distance, pointing towards a noble clad woman with auburn hair and beautiful visage, flanked by a lone guard. " Teagan, thank the Maker you still live ! " she'd say, cathing her breath. " Isolde ! You are alive ! What hapenned in there ? " he retorted. " I do not have much time ! I slipped away from the castle as soon as I saw the battle was over. And I must return just as quickly. ... And I need you to return with me, Teagan. Alone. " said Isolde. " Well. I'm sure we'll need more of an explanation than that. " interjected Kralich. " What ? Hmpfh. Who are you ? Who are these men Teagan ? " said the woman with indignation in her voice. " They helped us survive the night, Isolde. I owe them my life. " responded the man. " P-Pardon me. I would exchange pleasantries, but the situation is dire. I know you need more explanations ... but I do not know what is safe to tell. Teagan, the dead waken from their tombs and hunt the living. The mage responsible has been caught, but this still continues. And ... I think Connor is going mad. We have survived, but he refuses to leave the castle. He has seen so much death... You must help him Teagan. You are his uncle. You can reason with him. I know you can. I don't know what else to do ! " said Isolde. " What about the lord ? Is he still alive ? " quizzed Kralich, furrowing his brows. " He is. He is being kept alive. So far. " she answered. " Kept alive ? By what ? " said Kralich. " Something the mage unleashed. So far it allows him, me and Connor to live. The others were not so fortunate... It killed everyone else, turned their corpses into the walking dead and once it was done with the castle ... It turned for the town. It allowed me to come for you Teagan, because I begged. Because I said Connor  needed help. " " Why do I get the feeling you are not telling us everything... " pressed the mage further. " I-I beg your pardon ! That's a rather impertined accusation ! An evil that I can't fathom holds my son and husband hostage ! What more do you want from me ?! I came for help !" answered Isolde in a defensive tone. " Why must Teagan come alone then ? " continued Kralich. " For Connor's sake ! I promised he would come alone. Please, if we stay longer I fear it will think I'm trying to betray it and it will kill my boy ! Must I beg ?! " " I will come with you Isolde. Allow me but a moment's council with my friends. " said Teagan, pulling the company to the side.

" I cannot let Isolde return alone. I am fully aware this is perhaps a trap, but it is my family, I have to try and help. I have no illusions of dealing with this evil alone. You on the other hand. Perhaps you can help. Enter the castle through the passage, my signet here, will unlock the trap door for the tunnel. I will, perhaps be able to distract this evil long enough for you to slip by unnoticed, find out what's going on. What do you say ? " explained Teagan in a quick manner as he pressed the signed into the hands of the mage. " We'll do our best. Perhaps we can open the gates from within, have Sir Perth and his men aid us from outside. I imagine their bukly armor would do more harm than good in those tunnels. " answered the mage as he took the ring. " Very well, I am afraid I do not know what else to tell you to look for in there. I know as much about this evil as you do. And Isolde seems too afraid, or even under watch..." Teagan would say, nodding his head for the guard with her, who until now did not even blink or move. " ... to be able to say more. With that, I must leave you. Good luck. I will inform Sir Perth of our plan before I go. " ended the noble as he went to whisper a few words in the ear of Perth before departing. The latter then giving a knowing nod to the trio by the mill.

" So we are going to just leave him to go with that woman ? " asked Nicholas. " It does not seem like we have much of a choice. Come on now. The quicker we do this, the better our chances of helping him out are. First priority. Get those gates open for the knights. " answered Kralich peering at the signet depicting a lone tower on a hill.