Ashes to Ashes

[Carac]

The numbers have grown since the assault on the Guardian Patrol, and the recent attempt at bribery by the Bear Chieftain has inflamed the mob beyond what could have at first been hoped for. With torches, pitchforks, spears, clubs, and hammers they come. All with the look of bloodlust in their dark eyes.

Sticking to the middle of the pack as the assend the path is Carac, his mace held tightly in one hand and a torch in the other. As the gates come into view he hoists the torch high into the air. "This is what we've come for!" he cries. "Let's take back what is ours!"

[Tet'Nak]

Cloaked and hooded, Tet'Nak walks near Carac. He, unlike the other man, is mostly quiet. He has not unsheathed his sword, and is simply moving forward at the pace of the mob. His gate is not labored, but his body is somewhat crooked and bent.

His eyes are ever alert, attempting to spy what is to come. He does not think the Bear Ceann could send men so quickly, but he hopes that his own dismissal at the bribe will not bring others from the high country to aid in the defense of Kiekgard Dun.

[Saffron]

Several warning arrows are shot towards the crowd, all of them landing several paces ahead of the front of the pack.

“TURN BACK NOW!”

A menacing voice hollers from the entrance which, until now, had stood gaping open.  Hastily, the people of Kierkgard have piled up obstruction consisting of wagons, boards, crates and debris.  The sounds of bows creaking behind  the obstruction can be heard, and if one looks carefully, arrowheads can be seen peeking out from the spaces.

[Carac]

The ravine path is so small that the mob is only about four men across as it continues to move forward. Those making up the first line carry the lifeless bodies of the Guardian Patrol over their shoulders to serve as shields from arrow fire.

The response from the crowd is immediate and thunderous. "BURN THEM OUT!" they all seem to cry at once. The air is then filled with torches, arrows set afire, and spears wrapped with burning rags all aimed towards the makeshift blockade before the gateway.

[Saffron]

The holders of the fortress show as much mercy as the mob seems to show them, especially after seeing the corpse of their brethren.  The next volley of arrows that fly towards the angry mob are all aimed to kill.  It is easy when the targets are so concentrated.

“TURN BACK BEFORE YOU ICUR EVEN MORE WRATH OF THE GODS!”

Some defenders succumb to the heavy fire of arrows, but others stand their ground, preparing for the onslaught.

[Carac]

Cries ring out from the mob as the arrows fly into their midst. Seeing some of their brethren fall along with the encouragement of Tet'Nak causes them to surge forward into the wide opening before the wals of Kierkgard Dun. Some begin scaling the crumbling wall, while braver souls rush the blockade brandishing their weapons with ill intent. The rebel archers flare out to the sides of the opening before the gateway and begin firing at any who attempt to stop those scaling the walls.

Amongst the large group rushing the blockade is Carac, still holding his torch he flings it straight for the first defender he spots, and then his mace joins into the chaos as well.

[Tet'Nak]

 Tet'Nak runs forward, but not directly so, veering toward the left. In his path one of the mob has already been caught by an arrow. His torch on the ground, Tet'Nak stoops down and picks it up, immediately tossing it with his left hand over the wall at anything that might be on the other side.

"Break the barrier!" he yells, pointing toward the middle. Quickly, he attempts to find an opening in the wall that he can sneak through.

[Saffron]

Rocks and pots of boiling water are dumped on those scaling the walls, although most who are perched atop the walls fall victim to the skillfully aimed arrow shots of lifelong hunters.

Soon, the barrier is engulfed in a towering flame, and the defenders are forced to step away,  and they concentrate their efforts on picking off the attackers who manage to make it over the walls.

“GET BACK INSIDE!” One of the Guardians shouts at a couple of small children who wandered by to watch the spectacle with bewildered horror.  “These men will kill you! GET BACK INSIDE!” 

[Tet'Nak]

 Tet'Nak leaps over a small section of the wall. He keeps low, hoping to avoid detection, and darts for the nearest home to keep himself hidden. He look up at the building and notices it is the Guardian's Rest. He cannot help but smile, though his attention is drawn back to the fighting at the front 'gate'. He looks for an opportunity to aid those on the outside ...

[Carac]

Men scream as they fall from the walls to their deaths beneath the objects hurled from above. Other rebels succumb to arrow fire, but many still exist and they continue to press froward towards the city.

Carac hurls himself towards the Guardian who is distracted by the children and swings his heavy mace in a deadly arc towards the man's head.

The Hawk contingent within the city continue their charge towards the back of the gate defender's, seemingly still unnoticed. With deadly into they hurl themselves towards the Guardian's rushing back into the city, who mistook the cry 'GET BACK INSIDE!' as an order.

However, Garaig breaks away from the Hawk contingent and rushes towards the children. "Get your Kiern damned arse's out of here!" he cries and leaps frighteningly towards the children hoping to scare them further away from the fighting.

[Saffron]

With a terrifying sound, the barrier gives way to the fire, toppling over with a thunderous crash.  The glowing embers shoot up skyward like an erupting volcano, and these million bits of fiery ash waft their deadly way across the air, landing atop houses, setting the city on fire.

At least one man rushes out from one of the buildings after seeing Garaig leap to the children.  A balding, middle aged man with a paunch nevertheless, he attacks the Hawk archer with a stick he used to stoke fire.  “RUN, CHILDREN!”

The Guardians, every last one of them, are now engaged in full combat with the mob – but they fight without a leader, and they fight without a concerted effort.

[Tet'Nak]

Tet'Nak uses the fight at the gate to his advantage. The man looks at an old, hanging, lamp outside the Guardian's Rest. He immediately reaches up, grabs the lamp off the hook, and throws it through a window with a crash.

Slowly, smoke starts billowing out of the Guardian's Rest, then flames leap out of the exits. It appears no one was inside, as the attack was expected, and eveyone is at the gate defending. With the Guardian's Rest ablaze, Tet'Nak rushes toward the gate, ready to hack down any Guardian he spots in his path.

[Carac]

With daggers and swords taken off fallen orcs, the Hawk slice and slash their way into the Guardian's. Some fall to Guardian's blades, but these experienced fighters quickly have their foes overmatched.

Carac continues to move from target to taget, barely standing still and not waiting to see if his blows even land before aiming for another.

"Run away old man!" Garaig snarls as he parries the poker easily with his dagger. "Or else I'll make a vest out of your hide."

[Saffron]

What seemed like an empty tavern when Tet’Nak threw the lamp into the Guardian’s Rest, was in fact, not empty.  Women who now come out of hiding to find themselves trapped inside the burning building scream hysterically as they perish in the flames.

But they are not alone in the screaming.  As the fire quickly spreads, people come running out of the building, some carrying their worldly possessions, others holding the hands of children but all of them wearing a bewildered expression:  How did they get past the Guardians who are supposed to protect us?

[Tet'Nak]

Tet'Nak is racing toward the fighting. He might not even know someone died in the flames to the Guardian's Rest, but, he might not care either. He happens to come up behind the old man attempting to stab Garaig with a poker. Tet'Nak rears back as if he is about to run the man through ...

[Carac]

Garaig scowls and shakes his head. "Shoulda run when you had the chance," he growls towards the old man as Tet'Nak rears up behind him. Then spotting the torch carrying town crier he mistakes him for an enemy and leaps towards him with a murderous slash of his dagger.

Carac now finds himself without an enemy to face. At least not one brandishing a weapon of any sort. Taking a few gulps of air he attempts to stem off the flood of people heading towards the burning gates. "To the Field of Frecca," he urges. "You'll be safe there! Head to the field!"

[Saffron]

And should Tet’Nak run the potter with the sword, he would do so in front of the potter’s daughter, who now stares at the scene before her with eyes as round as a full moon.

To Garaig’s cry, another yells back, “Do not listen to him!  Don’t go to the Field of Frecca!  It is a trap!  He is the one of them!  He is trying to kill all of us, just like all of them!”

Another roar of fire goes up as the roof caves in, sending yet more blazing embers into the smoke filled sky.  The city glows with the light of the fire and the heat of the flames.  As the fighting continues, the panic stricken people fill the streets. 

“Mama! Mama!”

“KIERN! Save us!”

“My work!  My money!”

“Lachlain! Lachlain!”

“Somebody help me! My baby .. my baby!”

[Tet'Nak]

 When Garaig turns and attacks another, Tet'Nak reaches out, grabs the potter by the shoulder and spins him around. The potter's eyes then fall upon the devil himself, Tet'Nak, returned from the dead and leading a mob against Kierkgard Dun. How many times has he burned the Holy City to the ground.

"Get out of here you damn fool!"

Tet'Nak shoves the potter away, "To the Field of Freca! Go that way!"

[Carac]

Carac tries again to urge the crowds to turn towards the Field. "Get to the field," he cries once more. Then shakes his head and turns to Garaig and the others nearby. "Push them towards the Field if you must!" he orders. "They'll be trampled in the Ravine Path otherwise!"

[Saffron]

The potter’s daughter whose unblinking eyes remain fixed on Tet’Nak shakily goes to her father.  The badly shaken potter holds the two children in his arms and all of them go scampering off to the Field of Freca as told, dazed and confused as to what just happened. 

Meanwhile, those who did not listen to Carac stampede towards the narrow gate and to the narrow path shoving the fighting Guardians aside in their panic.  Many people would get trampled, and some would fall to their deaths.  Luckily, many did listen, and head towards the Field of Freca.

While people run in terror and panic, there are those who use the chaos to their advantage.  Greedy men are seeing running into empty houses and coming out with an armful of loot.  Others punch and kick women trying to defend their homes.  Then there are those who seem happy enough just setting everything they see on fire with their torches.

[Tet'Nak]

"Thieves," Tet'Nak says with a scowl. Any structure that stands and is build with wood is burning quickly and spreading. There is not much that can be done against the looters, as there are more Guardians to defending Kierkgard Dun. Though, Tet'Nak seems to believe victory is already sealed, as no other Clan has come to support the Guardians. The Guardians are defeated, next are the fat bloated clans that fear already the growing anger of the people.

[Carac]

 Carac steps onto the field and looks over the crowd that is gathering there and then reaches out to grasp Garaig. "Take some men and go find the Guardian's stores. They had to have been hoarding food somewhere, find out where." He looks towards the city. "Let's hope it hasn't burnt yet," he adds.

[Saffron]

They watch the city burn from the safety of the Field as the last of the stragglers come staggering, coughing violently from inhaling smoke.  Many collapse on the ground, exhausted from the escape.  Others are already tending to the wounded.  Confusion still reigns supreme as people search for their loved ones in the crowd.

Most stare blankly at the fire, watching their worldly possessions go up in flames.  Their soot covered faces lit up by the sea of fire.

Some people begin to weep, others wail hysterically.

The question.. why? Why? Why? Clings heavily in the air amidst the choking smell of smoke.

[Tet'Nak]

 "The Guardians are defeated," Tet'Nak says, looking for Carac in refugees from the middle of Kiekgard Dun. He smiles to himself, satisfied by the fire and smoke rising up in the distance. While others cry, he laughs, though not loud enough that many could hear him. Finally, he turns, looking over those that have come here attempting to escape the blaze that is quickly consuming everything.

[Carac]

 Passes a hand across his ash covered face and turns to look in the direction of Tet'Nak's voice. "For now they are, but I've no doubt they'll make at least one attempt to retake the city. "Possibly more. We need to be ready for them, and for anyone else who may come to make a claim of their own."

[Tet'Nak]

 Tet'Nak considers, "Soon, there will be no city to retake." He looks around, "We should send out scouts, see if there are any forces in Dunland waiting. If so, they will have to climb the Ravine Path just as we did." He pauses, "I think we should be able to hold them off, perhaps, lay some traps of some kind ..."

[Saffron]

The sounds of the city crumbling, of wood burning, of walls toppling mixes with the cacophony of sounds in the Field of Freca, now overflowing with close to a thousand refugees.  Many are in their nightshirts and carrying their pillows.

The yelling and screaming have calmed down a bit but there are still people calling for their loved ones by name.  The burn victims moan loudly along with the other injured.

Among them, is a call for help.

“Does anyone have a rope?  Someone has stepped off the ruins!”

[Carac]

On Carac's orders Garaig and his Hawk now wander through the still smoldering buildings, giving help where it's needed and distributing what aid they can to the burned and wounded. Though their intentions are pure enough, most people refuse their aid or run into terror from the city's 'invaders'.

So the cry for help and a rope finds them unoccupied. "Who's fool enough to be climbin' around up there?" Garaig asks as he comes forward with rope in hand.

[Saffron]

There is hesitation on the young boy’s part as Garaig steps forward.  Still, seeing the rope in his hand, the boy musters up courage to thrust his chin bravely.

“Do not call her a fool.  She’s foolish sometimes but that’s because she is a girl.  And she fell off because she is blind.  This way.”

The boy runs, stops and waits, flapping his hand.

[Carac]

 "WHAT?!" Garaig roars. "Why in the name of Kiern's shiny pink arse would a blind girl be wandering . . . " he stops before finishing the question know that he is part of the reason. "Why was their know one watchin' over her!?" he demands instead as he now runs towards the Crag.

[Saffron]

The young boy now has a tough time keeping up with the man. 

“Lachlain usually does, but he is a Guardian so he was probably out fightin’ the bad guys.”  The boys runs after him, so unless Garaig turns around, he would not see the expression on his face.

“Anyways, she may be blind, but she looks after her crazy father.  I’m sure she was just followin’ the old man do his crazy ways.  There! Over there.  That’s where she fell.”

[Carac] Garaig at first fears the worst as he leans out to look over the edge and his eyes fall upon a dark stain upon one of the rocks below. As he turns away though he spots the girl clinging to the edge. Pulling himself away from the ledge he looks for the boy, as he begins to wrap the rope about his waist.

"Alright, boy," he says. "I need you to tell her that help is coming. Tell her to stay calm and not to move." Once the rope is wrapped and tied tightly about his waist he tosses the end to two of his men. "Lower me down, easy," he says. "When I got her, I'll give the call to pull me up."

[Saffron]

His eyes wide, the boy nods.  “You.. you’re goin’ down to get her?”  The question is rhetorical, for he can see that he is, indeed, going down to get her.  “I’ll tell her.”   Carefully, he lies on his belly and crawls towards the edge until his head hangs upsidedown the side.

“Oksana!  Hang on! Help is on the way!  Don’t move, Oksana.  Just hang on tight!”

The young woman presses harder against the side of the cliff, her fingers clutching tightly onto the tough shrubbery that grows in the nooks of the precipice.  The shrubbery and the tiny ledge, perhaps an inch wide where she stands on the tips of her toes is all that separates her from a certain death.  

“I don’t think I can hang on much longer, Ducky.  You will tell Lachlain to take care good care of papa, wont you?” 

[Carac]

"Give me all the rope you can, lads!" Garaig calls out as hear's the girl's words. Kicking off the wall with is his legs he repells himself off the cliff face and swings towards Oksana with his arms open. They reach out and wrap around the girl just as her toes fail and she begins to pitch forward.

Clutching Oksana tightly against him, Garaig turns to that is he takes he impact of cliff on his back as the swing comes to its end.

He lets out a loud 'UGH' as he slams into the cliff wall, but manages to maintain his grip on the young woman. "Kiern damned rock never gets any softer," he says after a moment.

[Saffron]

Ducky snaps his eyes shut as Oksana loses her grip and begins to scream, fearing the worst.  His little body quivers and his hands ball up into a tight fist not even daring to breathe until..

“HEAVE! HEAVE!”

The two burly men put their entire weight into pulling the rope but in spite of their best effort, their footing begins to slip.  “HEAVE! HEAVE!”  They cry out desperately, their bodies straining and sweating.

Amazingly, the victims of the fire who had followed the commotion – one by one steps forward, grabbing a hold of the rope and begins to pull.  Soon, the crag fills with a chorus of men and women shouting “HEAVE! HEAVE!” and slowly but surely, they raise the big Hawk man, carrying the blind girl, safely to the surface.

[Carac]

 Garaig releases the girl once they are safely upon solid ground. "Don't be runnin' off too far," he says as he begins unwinding the rope from his waist. "I imagine you'll be wantin to see your brother soon."