Check Point: Safety not Found

[Grimm]

Captain Veras stood calmly inside the arch of the town gate, a cup of warm cider fighting off the chill of the coming season. His mind ran over the reports of recent events. Meadowmeres’ charge across Astrel, Grimms sudden “betrayal”, the surge of changelings was just the tip of the iceberg that was the headache for the warry veteran. The fields stretching out from the town wall were picked clean and ready for the coming frost, though there were still some pieces of equipment out to be wrangled before the season was upon them. A handful of towns folk were gathering them and checking for any stray tools that may have been misplaced at harvest. As the captain overlooked the townsfolk he took his head count. Things were quiet but he couldn’t shake his habits. Eight men and two women were working together for common good and survival. He smiled and drank from his cup as another guard approached him.
“Captain, we can expect the …er… exchange… to be at some point today. Still waiting on our Scouts to report but it has been quiet today.” Chase, a young up and coming recruit, reported.
“ Hmm… “ Captain Veras had another drink as he considered Chase’s words “ We have not heard any reports from the path ahead today?”
“No sir, we are rather light on active duty today, Mcclain is down ill, Adeline is out in the field helping, and the rest are on duty in town.” Chase shrugged helplessly.
Captain Veras turned to look back out in the fields to call to Adeline to report… But he could only count seven people on the field now. He squinted his eyes in a frustration as he noticed who he assumed to be Adeline and one of the local boys to be in the tree line, and definitely not helping. But what concerned him more, the young boy who was out in the field by the base of the hill was no where to be seen. With a deep sigh, Captain Veras placed his drink down and picked up his shield.
“I am going to go have Adeline scout and see if we can’t be better prepared for our expected guest, and it looks like the Castine boy has left the field, I will find him and help finish up so we can all be inside the walls before dark.”
“You sure you don’t want me to do that, Sir?” Chase asked. As Captain Veras turned to thank him for his intent, the look on the Youngman’s face stole his cheer, a look of shock. Captain Veras turned on his heel in time to witness the cart, riding wildly towards them, catch a dip in the road, and then be struck by a ballista bolt sending it spilling to the side of the road. People and contents spilling out the side, and others running towards. The man he believed to be distracting Adeline ran past her as she fell to the ground, the towns folk had a mixed reaction. Two of them started running towards the town in a panic, the others ran to the cart.
“Get your gear and get the troops!” Captain Veras ordered Chase as he took off at the ambush, Chase was fast behind him, blowing a brass and silver horn, raising the alarm. Two guards on the wall joined the captains charge. “Get inside and tell them I said to be ready at the gates!” he ordered the villagers as they passed him. The Captain growled in anger as he realized the other “townsfolk” he believed he had seen had revealed hidden weapons and were part of the ambush. He didn’t give himself the time to think of what happend to the people he had sent out before in the day.

“RAGE!” Captain Simon Veras charged

“To me!” Garret cried to his allies as he held is hand high. Tress took a moment to recover from the jolted ride before hurrying to the man. Rook made for the crash to try to check on its captive.
“Leave him there! Ether they are trying to spring him or kill him, regardless, it is best he stay there, now YOU get over HERE!” Garret ordered. Rook’s face showed she didn’t believe that the man inside was an accomplice to this, but she did move close as Garret released his healing ability. Mending all of them just as the assailants broke through to them. Three to the back end, two on around the front. In they closed on the trio.
As they spread to encircle them, a battle cry rang out from the town. This gave the attackers but a moment pauses as they looked to one another. Another man approached from the tree line and called out to the group “We are only here for the prisoner. You need not throw away your lives for a lost cause.” The well armored man had a purple sash around his waist that was adorned with silver coins, a wicked two-handed axe in his grasp, His beard well groomed barely hid his confident smile. As he eyed them one at a time.
“who are you?!” Tress demanded of him
“I am just here to fix a bad situation. You could say I am a man who specializes in fixing things” He replied. “You three are not on the docket for today, and I do not work for free. Do both of us a favor and….” His gaze fell past them as he noticed the town guards closing ground fast. “Scratch that, Kill them.” He lifted and hurled his axe as he said it in one smooth motion.
Tress’s face was as a mask of shock as it closed the gap, her mind froze in the briefest moment of panic
.
Rook called out “Push”. the axe midflight, was suddenly sent spiraling to the side. Garret drew his blade and charged his newest aggressor, crying out in anger. As he closed in to swing, the man vanished. Appearing next to his displaced weapon. Turning to the group the man calmly stated “Kill them all. No witnesses.” He vanished again from their sight as 4 of the attackers closed in, the fifth turned and climbed the cart. Tress and Rook took up their weapons to hold off against the four fighters. Garret rushed to rejoin them blocking an attack aimed for an opening in Tress’s guard. Tress spun and took the man’s throat with a thrust of her blade. As she spun past Garret moved in, striking the falling man in the face with his sword. Rook flailed with her weapon at her own two aggressors. They knew they out classed her and moved around her, poking and prodding her away from her companions. As the beast man in front of her made a deft move left, the woman moved right. As they both went for the killing blow on the flustered Rook, she stamped her foot and scolded “Chill!”(Calm Emotions, AoE). Both of them stopped, confused. Rook took the moment to regroup with Tress and Garret. Their opponent was a talented swords woman wielding two hand sickles, she moved with such grace and precision she kept them both busy.
It was a beautiful display of skill on both sides, brought to an abrupt end as Rooks spell caught the swordswoman. “Suggestion: Sleep” She lost her footing as Garret came down with the flat of his sword (knockout) They all looked at one another as a loud crack sounded from the carriage. All eyes were on it as the man prying the door open managed to succeed.
“Go!” Tress called to Rook as she engaged the remaining two with Garret. “We got this, don’t let them take him!”
“Oh! Man, this is awkward, I am a little tied down at the moment, could you come back later?” Came from a slightly alarmed voice inside. The man dropped inside with a grunt “ Sir, while I am sure your wit is as sharp as the sword, I mu-“ The tip of the blade erupted through the floor of the Carriage.

“NO!” came the call from all three companions
Rook ran hard and made it to the wrecked carriage, as she climbed the side, three bright purple flashes erupted from the inside. As she made it to the door, a look of horror came over her face. She turned from the scene inside and saw across the way the man with the cruel axe going toe to toe with none other than Simon Veras himself. From where she was on the field she could see them exchange words as well as strikes. Back and forth they went as another came to Simon’s aid. A young man. His sword ready in his hands as he charged in. A sudden puff of dust flung from the self-called fixer’s hand into Simon’s face and again, the man vanished. The young man skidded to a halt and took a defensive position. Simon raged again, eyes red from the attack he locked his gaze with rook for a moment. Rook looked from him to the dark form that was behind the young man. His demeanor had changed. He looked confused. Rook called out a warning to him pointing. Simon spun hard. Chase dropped his sword as he fell to his knees.
“CHASE!” Simon called as he dashed forwards. Chase slumped forward revealing the axe planted just under his skull and upper back, its handle rising for its own to grasp it again as he stepped up to meet Simons renewed fury. Simon threw himself as a living missile into his enemy, taking him by surprise. Weapons flew from both combatants as they started slugging each other. Grappling, biting, punching and kicking were all viable tactics being throw at each other as Rook watched.
Unwilling to risk losing another friend, Rook climbed from the carriage, and sprinted to try to aid the wounded guardsmen. She skidded to a stop and looked him over, healing energy glowing from her hands as she tried to save him. Rook stole a glance over at the brawl happening to see Simon gain the upper hand, He sat poised over his attacker, shield raised high in both hands as he brought it down in a savage strike, once, twice, as he raised it again with a roar and slammed down in righteous anger, his target again disappeared and he struck the ground. The edge of his shield sinking deep into the ground. They both looked around expecting him to strike again. A moment of a pause. Rook used this time to continue aiding Chase. While healing him the axe was worked from his wound by the magic and fell to the ground. Simon turned “You are a welcome sight, Rook. What in the Hells is going on? Is this a trap, or a rescue? “He pointed to the carriage. All Rook could do was shrug, helpless as she focused on stabilizing the man in front of her.

A cry of despair and denial came from Tress on the other side of that same wrecked cart. Rook and Simon scrambled to their feet and made a run to the Justiciar’s call. As they closed ground, the scene came clear. Tress was pressed hard by the now awake swords woman, and Garret was face down in the dirt next to the Beast folk and that same foul man Simon was fight with moments ago. That “fixer”.
The sight of returned combatants had them spinning and ready to fight as Simon charged in. Throwing his weight behind his shield he slammed the beast folk back into the base of the cart, its arm catching on the protruding blade. A howl of pain came from him as he grasped at the wound. The Fixer moved in to strike and Rook was there. “Nope, Kumquat.” She pointed at him and (Push) back he flew into the tree line. Tress and her opponent broke combat long enough to both gauge who’s side was in dire need. The battered man rose from the tree line and adjusted himself as everyone paused. Simon placed his blade against the pinned beast folks throat. “Throw down your weapons and turn yourselves in or your comrade dies” He warned. The Fixer and the Swordswoman looked at each other and as the both turned to answer, a glow came from behind the beast folk, the wooden section of floor behind his head blew away as two hands still with shackles hanging on them came through the sundered barrier, and wrapped the chain around the poor man’s neck. Before Simon could stop the action, those hands clamped hard on the sides of the captured head, and the double pulse of energy reduced it to a pulp in a matter of a few shocked seconds. Splatter hitting Simon, horror striking the others as the fight was stolen from them.
“I am going to have to go ask for a raise. Till we meet again.” The fixer stepped back into the shadow of the wood line vanishing from sight. As the group turned to the swordswoman, she too was making off into the distance.
Another section of the cart sundered away in a violet flash. Simon approached the cart on guard. As those same hands reached out to the edge, Simon Stuck in, hitting home (Knockout).
Grimm spilled out from the cart face first into the dirt and snow.
Simon looked from Tress’s tear streaked face, to the body of the fallen Justiciar, Garret, to behind him where Chase lay unconscious. His eyes slowly tracked the tree line across his men who were giving chase, back slowly to Grimm, who lay on the ground in front of him. His gaze came up to Rook’s worried and tired profile.
“We have some things to discuss”. He stated with no room for debate.

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