A New Power

[Peregrine]

Far too easy, Aseir thought as he cleared the archers' range. Now just these two idiots to deal with...

 

A quick look back confirmed the minimal pursuit still had their bows out. Fortunately for Aseir, the speed and roughness of their charge would make an accurate shot nearly impossible. And more importantly, a bow would provide no defense against his counter-attack. After all, it just wouldn't be any fun to end the fight so soon...

 

Aseir waited a few moments longer, opening a bit more distance on his prey just to be sure. Then, as he began to follow a turn in the road, he suddenly sharpened his turn, reversing course completely. His spear was already free of its mount and lowering into place as his pursuit came into view around the next curve. His target realized his mistake in weapon choice a second too late, as Aseir's counter-charge drove a spear point clear through his chest, followed by half the shaft. As he rode by, Aseir grabbed the front half, and pulled it the rest of the way through and back into position to attack his next target.

[MDRud216]

the glimpse of brown on the hillside barely caught your attention as you made the kill, but suddenly you hear the osund of yet more hooves. Two more riders emerge quickly from the wt brush, nearly sliding for a moment in the mud. You are lucky in that they are positioned much further down the valley, closer to your captured comrades.

 

The second rider on the road ahead draws his blade, simply dropping his first weapon choice to the ground as he rode. He is just close enough for you to see the fear on his face as he stares at the bloodied shaft of your spear before he swearves away towards the hillside. In what some would call a predicament, you know have two riders a short distance away on the road and one to the side, attempting to set up a flanking move.

[Peregrine]

Second rule of ambushes: when in doubt, smash something as you run.

 

The words echoed in Aseir's mind as he lined up on the survivor of his counter-attack. Try to flank me, will you, he thought with a bit of arrogance. Fortunately, one side of their "trap" was far weaker than the other. Soon to be dead, of course.

 

The fright in the survivor's eyes turned to absolute terror as Aseir charged. His desperate broadsword swing found only air as he discovered the disadvantages of being on the wrong end of a polearm's range advantage. Unfortunately, he would never learn from this lesson, as before his swing had even finished, he had already joined his former companion in the afterlife.

 

This time, Aseir didn't bother holding onto his spear. He had a pair of backups still, and he would need both hands immediately free for his bow. As he pulled the bow from his back and drew an arrow, he guided his horse back onto the road and away from the other half of the trap. Only one of them had thought to keep his bow, and even he still held a sword. Good odds, and I doubt they've got the training to shoot on the run. My kind of fight....

 

Aiming at the man with the bow still attached to his saddle, Aseir released his first arrow.

[MDRud216]

The fifth and final rider in this failing ambush galloped down the hill at full speed, ignoring his horses hooves neerly slipping out from beneath it on the slick earth. He wore heavy plate mail, and his horse was lightly barded as well. A dangerous foe, but not one equiped for a pursuit. On level ground his horse excelerates further, a dangerous and short-lived speed.

 

Your eyes are diverted from you initial target for a moment, this is a much more imminent danger. This rider carries a long flat sheild off to his left, and considering you are weilding a taught bow you know that it is not for a defensive purpose. The gap between you thins rapidly. The face of this man you recognize, but you cannot place it immediately, there is no time to think about it.

[Peregrine]

For once without time to think of an insulting remark for his opponents, Aseir acted purely on instinct. Reflexes forged in years of battle swung his aim around to the new target, releasing the arrow as a kick of his boots sent his horse into a full charge. Not at the rider, even at point blank range his armor would let him live to finish the attack. Instead, his arrow stabbed deep into the already unstable horse's legs. Light barding did nothing to stop a close shot from an 80lb longbow, and the horse's leg went completely dead.

 

Fortuantely, that was all it took to turn a barely controled charge into disaster. The horse stumbled, then flung its rider to the ground as it fell over. The wreck passed close behind Aseir, his quick action just barely getting him clear in time.

 

A bit shaken by the near miss, Aseir slowed his horse and drew another arrow. The man on the ground could wait, he wouldn't be a threat anytime soon. But one of the others still had a bow, and could still get lucky. And it wouldn't take him long to realize the uselessness of a sword and switch weapons.

 

Time to correct that problem, Aseir thought as he aimed and fired at the only remaining threat.

[MDRud216]

The head of the horse disappeared somewhere under the bulk of its body as it hurdled over. The daring rider saving his life by leaning back, landing roughly a fraction of a second later. His horse was crippled and dying, but at least his own body was intact (his pride was not as lucky). Tarysus Vedus Darel looked out at his victorious attacker, far ahead now. He would be a long lived adversary to the foolishly daring new Emperor of the Galoric Empire. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath, off to his right the banks of the Rakatal fell away into the churning water. The grass and reeds were thick and tall and so he made his escape, crawling on his legs, nearly limp with pain into the weeds.

 

The remaining riders quickly withdraw horror-stricken, turning full circle back to the captives.

 

ooc: just a note to the other players... Aseirs struggle is happening simoltaneously to whatever it is your doing, so roleplay accordingly, thanks

[Peregrine]

Aseir could hardly believe his luck as the two riders broke into full retreat. And in the process, turned their backs on their opponent. Not that it would matter, as he hadn't planned to give them a fair fight anyway. Taking an extra moment to steady his aim, he drew and fired again at his chosen target. This time, he didn't miss, and the rider fell from his horse. Dead or dying, it didn't matter, one more threat to his allies was down.

 

As his companion died, the last survivor somehow forced even more speed from his mount. Giving up on a bow shot, Aseir returned his bow to his back and drew another spear. Again, he drove his horse into a charge, closing the distance on his slower prey. He passed the archery victim, paying no more attention than he had to the man before. There were more important things to do than worry about men who would not be rejoining this fight.

 

The last of the ambushers, too focused on the road ahead, never even saw his death coming. Just a sudden pain as a spear thrust impaled his heart and sent him flying from his horse. And then, not even that.

 

 

With a silent thanks to Fate and Luck, Aseir leaned back slightly in the saddle, finally relaxing a bit. Now that the danger was gone, the magnitude of his luck hit him like a hammer blow. With a moment to think clearly, the shield-man's face was suddenly obvious. The Emperor and four of his elite guards, and I won....

 

All the near misses of the battle flashed through Aseir's mind. He'd burned through a lot of his luck there, to have escaped from such opponents without even a scratch, and he knew it. Well, maybe just a bit of skill, he conceded to his ego.

 

But there wasn't much time for thought. His allies had faced even worse odds, and had lacked his mobility. How many of them still lived even? That question stuck in his mind, Aseir retrieved his discarded spear and advanced towards his companions.

[ensis]

Akechi heard the familiar sound of a bowstring being pulled taught. He quickly dismounted and had a hand on his dagger. Aesir had already done an about face, and subsequently half of the force was sent after him.

 

Akechi assessed the situation quickly. From what he could see, there were four archers and two soldiers holding Quarain and Thrin. The soldiers were preoccupied, but being the only target left for the archers, Akechi wasn't about to put up a fight. Or at least, not just yet.

 

Akechi let go of the handle, and brought his arms out from his body a short ways. Recognizing the make of the armor, he was quick but wary to question the soldier's motives.

 

"With the armor of the Greymoor guard, you are soldier's of the Galoric Empire." Akechi started, "This makes us allies, so I question you, why are your weapons taught and directed at friends?"

[MDRud216]

"Shut up rebel!" the captain says to you, pulling back his bowstring further. Those who plot against Darel's glory shall not be called upon as friends." Off to your right one of the archers abandons his bow and walks toward you, short sword drawn. "Get on the ground like your friends, or I will send you there dead."

[Shadow of the Fallen]

OOC: A lesson learned, Peregrine.

IC:

 

Thrin could only laugh as he felt the razor point of the sword tickling his back. His own sword was in his right hand even now, but he knew it was useless. One wrong move, and he'd have a blade through his chest. It was a familiar situation, and one he was used to dealing with, but he made a mental note to remember this lesson in the times ahead.

 

Very slowly, he let go of the longsword and the scabbard, moving his hands and arms away from them so he showed less hostile intent. He still smiled, though it wasn't a "happy" grin like the one he had held earlier in the day, but that of a man who knows he has lost a game of chess and finds some humor in it. Thrin was seeming more and more like the guy that smiles at a funeral.

 

Regardless, his outward intentions did not reflect the inner. He was still well equipped, even without the sword. The imperial hunting knife was at his hip, which might be used to their advantage in this situation. It had, after all, belonged to a very important man. When the time was right, he would make that move... Besides that, he held a second knife, though smaller, close to the middle of his back. It was positioned under the shabby leather belt he wore. He also had a boot knife, and with the right element of surprise, he could kill a man with his boot laces. As a smuggler, one learns to imporvise.

 

He looked over at Quarian as he was hit with the butt end of a sword. In his mind, he spat at the soldier, and vowed that if no one else got to the man first, Thrin would kill him before they escaped. He didn't even consider that they might not escape, thats as good as accepting death. I've still got souls to grab.