Fate - First Reply The Attack on Vel Sain

[Eohan]

[Shogun Rising - Noah Bradley]​

Early morning. A blanket of dew still sat upon the grass and leaves of this village on the edge of the Falwood - Vel Sain. Light just broke the horizon. The villagers began to stir as chickens and pigs began to make noise. No more than 100 people lived in this rural spot of Anirian territory.

And with no warning to the villages, a cacophony of whistling and blowing horns followed. A mixed group of elves from the Falwood - including those of the Fellowship - descended upon Vel Sain with the intent to destroy it.

Upon a hill overlooking the village, Eohan stood and observed the opening moments of the fight. Because of Vel Anir's service requirements, the villagers were willing to fight and a few kept their combat skills honed and sharpened. Yet, the number of battle ready elves threatened to overwhelm them in a short time if they received no help.

Looking toward a fellow elf to his side, "Spread word to watch for Dreadlords of Guards in the village or approaching. Send word to me if any appear."

 

[Adda Asphand]

Adda had volunteered to go along with the company of dreadlords to protect the village of Vel Sain. It would serve a two-fold purpose: to give her experience and begin building her reputation so people (Lux) would remember her name! The short dreadlord initiate was still irritated that her classmates didn't remember her name even though they were all working to the same goal and wanted to protect their city! It drove her crazy!

But as she was her skills weren't good for straight up battle. She was more for surprises. If I find the leaders... and take them out... the rest won't know what to do and minimal damage will be done to the village! With that plan she had snuck away from the main group and was scouting. She just had to find who was in charge. She was dressed in dark colors and light armor so she could move quickly and sneakily.

Yeah the enemy were elves and the forest was their territory, but she could do it! For her people she would!

 

[Eohan]

"We've spotted Dreadlords," an elf told Eohan.

Eohan's eyes looked down to the ground. A few moments of contemplation. Turning to his ally, Eohan ordered the elves to, "Take them out. Kill or capture, if you can."

Once saying that, Eohan began to make his way toward the village. The sounds of spells being flung by the other Dreadlords that accompanied Adda Asphand drew his attention.

The elf appeared ready for battle. He wore plate armor that would be typical of an Anirian Dreadlord. A sword sheathed at his waist could be seen. Yet, he wielded a staff in his hands instead as the weapon of choice in this moment. Another object obscured by cloth wrapped around it dangled off the other side of his hips of the sword.

Eohan began to make his way from the threshold of the treeline to the fields surrounding Vel Sain. His attention seemed glued to the chaos ahead of him - not appearing to pay much mind to the sides or spotting any sign of Adda.

 

[Adda Asphand]

The sounds of magic colliding with magic, with the earth, with her surroundings, and with flesh rung in her ears. The battle had already begun. She could hear the people of the village screaming as they realized they were under attack and hid in their homes. Or were killed and injured. It was such a small village all their lives could be snuffed in a short time! Determined, Adda kept moving while staying hidden.

But she couldn't help herself when she found someone injured. An elf. Face twisted in pain and panting hard. While bleeding from a nasty wound in their side. She bit her lip, checked her surroundings. They were in the treeline. The dreadlord who had done this had cut their enemy down and left them to die of their wounds. That didn't sit right with her. Nor did leaving the elf to suffer. So she crouched by them and placed a finger tip on the elf- a man- forehead.

"This won't be pleasant, but....I'll try to help," she said softly as she used some of her healing ability to stabilze the elf. The bleeding stopped. She used some bandage she carried to cover the wound. It was all she could do in the heat of battle. Then she kept moving. Her efforts could be for naught but at least she tried. The use of magic took its tole on her energy.

Find the leader. What does an elf leader look like?

And that is when she heard them. The elves. The enemy. She had gotten close without meaning to. Fuck! She took cover in some brambles and bushes and peered out. One seemed to give orders to another because after they spoke the second moved away. Then the one who gave orders started out of the trees. Surely that was an elf leader? She just had to sneak up on him and take him out. The rest would surely scatter without anyone in command.

As stealthily as she could, she moved closer to Eohan while charging her lighting magic in her hands. If he got into the open her opportunity would be lost. People often stopped for their names so she tried to remember if anyone had said a name in the brief conversation she had overheard.

 

[Eohan]

The noise of fighting and screaming within Vel Sain continued.

Adda Asphand disturbed the bushes near the long eared Eohan. His chin shot up with alertness. A few seconds passed before his eyes turned in the direction that Adda hid.

He stared.

Eyes narrowed.

But then,

"Telumavar," another elf approached Eohan's side addressed him.

Eohan's attention and gaze returned to his subordinate. He stopped in place.

A conversation continued in elvish.

[The Forsaken have subdued a Dreadlord, what now?] Eohan was asked.

[Have them use the Ankasayrina to block their magic, if they've not yet. Don't maim or torture until we know if they can be ransomed or not,] Eohan ordered the elf.

[By your will, Telumavar,] the elf said with a salute before rushing back toward the village.

During that conversation, Eohan never looked back toward Adda's direction as she would have approached closer.

Once again, Eohan was left alone with the unseen, apparently unnoticed Adda nearby. He maintained a tight grip on his obsidian staff. He would only remain in place for a moment, though. If undisturbed, he would move forward and out of the forest and into the village.

 

[Adda Asphand]

Adda froze as the elf looked in her direction. Was she spotted? Did she pounce now? If she jumped out would that work? For all her training she still struggled with hesitating. Her brain always whirred for the best strategy and to make it worse she didn't understand elvish and what sounded like a name her target responded to was spoken Adda knew she wouldn't be able to pronounce it. Why were elf names so bloody complicated?

Her only choice was to keep moving. She waited until she was sure Eohan had forgotton her, and then charged out behind him with her palms outstretched. Lightning shot from them in a crackling arch in his direction. Surely she would win! She had him by surprise!

 

[Eohan]

Arcs of lightning stretched out from Adda Asphand to Eohan. They caressed his arm closest to the Initiate. The smell of rain pierced through that of smoke.

Eohan roared in pain. Then, a pale green light shone from the center of the sun atop Eohan's staff. The air around him twisted at the beck and call of some magical force. Any continue bolts of lightning from Adda appeared to be rebuffed by a new invisible barrier around Eohan.

The elf turned to see the now clearly visible Initiate. A few elvish expletives escaped his mouth. The arm Adda struck with magic appeared to dangle by Eohan's side as his fingers twitched. His armor and gauntlet obscured any superficial damage he may have received.

[Obfuscate!] Eohan chanted in elvish.

From Eohan's staff, Adda might see a dark sphere appear expand from it and attempt to swallow all around it. In reality, it would just severely restrict the distance at which Adda could perceive the world - and one way to escape its effect would be to get out of its range.

 

[Adda Asphand]

Well shit. She'd hit him. Not well enough apparently because he was still standing. Only his arm hung limp and that didn't seem to bother him because he was already reacting. Run or stay? With one arm numb he'd be at a disadvantage, right? The young woman let her magic gather into her palms again. She didn't know the spell he was using or what it would do so she moved back into the cover of the trees. It doubled as buying herself time to charge up. She'd aim for the staff this time. She should have aimed for it the first time. Wood conducted her electricity exceptionally well. Metals were even better.

"Leave the village alone!" she yelled with as much authority as she could muster. She managed not to wince at how high pitched her voice was. That would show him. She was terrified. Great. She could do this. She had control over this situation.