Uncharted Fate

Chapter One – Escape

The building shook as the gryphons pasted overhead, dust and tile fragments floated down on the small group of outlaws. They waited back from the windows and out of sight with unusual patience for people in their situation. They remained still until the cover of darkness and it wasn’t till they heard the sound of soldiers below that they brought their bows up to the windows. The patrol was right outside, searching the nearby buildings and empty cargo crates exposing their vulnerability to the apparently empty building the fugitives occupied. Their arrows flew down with the twang of bow stings. One ricocheted off the armour with a clang, but the rest tore into the soft, fleshy skin of the soldier’s necks and heads. The attackers where up and running before the patrol had a chance to react, swiftly they made there way to the deserted town’s southern entrance ducking into alleys and around corners. Richard, the youngest of the five edged his head round the last corner.

“Oh great!” he said under his breath and retracted his head within an instant, “what is it?!” asked Azul, leader of the party. “Looks like they have blocked the entrance with   armoured carts and have men inside the towers with repeater bows.” He removed his hood to reveal a face with blue eyes and a head of brown hair. Azul looked back over his group whilst calculating their chances of an escape. “Do you have faith in our cause?” he questioned them looking from face to face. “Yes brother” answered a soft female voice belonging to Gale as she bowed her head. Hastily in turn each of the others responded in the same way. “Then this must be done” Azul said pulling from under his cloak a worn broadsword and putting his bow around his shoulder turned to Richard.

Azul reached out and rested his hand on Richards’s arm. “Remember your oath … remember your cause … and remember this. Take this vial to the warlock known as Ahramin, he was last seen in the costal town of Port Surefire.” He withdrew a small vial from his pouch and handed it to Richard, the liquid inside glowed a faint blue colour. With this he leapt out into the street spiriting towards the blockade, arrows came raining down from the tower emplacements hitting the stone cobbled road as Azul quickly changed direction whilst still heading forwards. After a few seconds of this continuous assault the towers ceased fire as men charged out of the carts and formed ranks with shields raised and swords drawn, they held their stance as the assailant came closer. Azul swung his arm to the side releasing a flurry of knives directed at the soldiers. Few of them where able to react to this surprise attack and dropped to the floor, even less foresaw the burst of smoke from under Azul’s cloak and fell to his blade in the confusion with shouts and muffled screams.