Fable - Ask The Shattered Keep[Dreadlords]

[Talus]

Near Cortos - West Baal-Asha River

Talus crouched in a small clearing surrounded by more Dreadlords than he had ever been in the presence of.

There were over three dozen of them of all different sort of experience. First Levels, Seconds, thirds, Apprentices, and even a few fourths. It was a cadre of men and women that made Talus more nervous than he cared to admit. All of them had different loyalties, all of them had different plans, and all of them were extremely dangerous.

His own mentor, Fenrith Lavarus, was here. Talus could see him standing with some of the second levels, his rogue like clothing easy to spot among the sea of platemail and armor. His arms were crossed, and he clearly did not like the way the current conversation was going. Talus still remembered the words Fen had said to him before all of this. "Watch your back, don't trust any of them. Even the ones you know. We're all here for the King, but all of them have their own agenda."

Talus frowned as the words rang in his skull, slowly looking back out of the clearing and towards the river.

Just three miles beyond it lay their target, the reason that this veritable army had assembled.

Supposedly hidden within the forest beyond the River was a Keep, and in that Keep was a collection of runaway Dreadlords, Nobles, and Knights that had fled Vel Anir throughout the years. No one knew how many there were, but leading them was a name that every Anirian Recognized; Velath Sunborn.

He was the only Archon to ever Rebel.

The only man to ever defy King, House, and everything that Vel Anir stood for. He had left the city twenty years ago upon his fiftieth nameday, and many had assumed he'd fled to the far east long ago. Now however it seemed he was lurking just a few leagues away from Anirian territory, harboring other rebels and possibly leading them to do something worse.

From what Talus knew Velath Sunborn had been one of the most powerful Archon's ever, and the idea of facing him in any sort of battle was...absolutely terrifying. His fingers scrunched into a fist over and over again, as if the press would somehow allow him to breath. "I hope I survive this."

Talus said quietly to himself.

 

[Florinthe Othal]

Florinthe stood noticeable apart from the rest of the Dreadlords assembling before her. After the death of her master, now almost a year prior, she had been left with little emotional connection between her and the other members of the order. It was entirely her fault though, she was a loner and, since becoming a Third, she had tried her hardest to be posted solely on lone missions. Yet despite her best efforts, even she couldn't avoid the draft today. All available hands had been summoned to complete this mammoth task.

To make matters worse, she was acutely aware of the comical impression she gave off whilst here amongst her brethren. Unlike many of the behemoths that seemed to disproportionately comprise the bulk of the Dreadlord forces, Florinthe was a lithe figure of average height and weight yet, compared to them, she looked almost fragile. Even more curious, perhaps, were the number of spears, short spears and javelins she had holstered in a custom-made quiver slung across her back.

She sighed. Today was a bad day and the mission hadn't even begun yet. She was cold, her pack was heavy, and, truth be told, she really didn't want to be here. Florinthe had hoped at least, what with her powers being less suited and somewhat hampered by confined spaces, that she would be held back either to attack from range or clean up the mess afterwards - but there had been no confirmation as of yet.

 

[Virgil]

Virgil knew his part in all of this. He was the shield-bearer. Meant to keep as many alive as possible while they stormed the keep under fire. Whatever that fire was, he was ready, or at least as ready as one could be walking into a place that you knew nothing about.

He kept to the exterior of the gathering, not engaging in conversation but not trying to be alone. Preparation of his wards were to the front of his mind. With an Archon being present on the enemy side, it was a toss up about what he could do to protect the other dreadlords.

He knew of few of the others, his own apprenticeship not finished yet do to failure to expand his magic. He was mediocre at anything other than wards, and wards only got one so far. Today would be a test for a new idea for wards on his part.

His eyes drifted around, keeping the blade on his back cinched tight as he watched and waited. Others spoke, some didn't. It would be a dark day by the end of the assault to see who remained.

 

[Ademar Acero]

Too many of them for Ademar’s own liking, being somewhat comfortable to see Talus amongst the group of Dreadlords. He was an individual he could trust after sharing several missions with the man, all of them being successful. A mixed level of Dreadlords here, mixed with apprentices that have yet to graduate from the academy and other levels of certified warriors that no longer held the rank of being apprentice.

Hopefully their own agendas wouldn’t compromise their focus on completing this mission. Casualties were expected to be had, and no doubt some of them conspired to use their own compatriots as shields to save their own lives. United, but separated by their own ideals and goals.

Three miles they stood from the Keep with traitors and rebels behind its walls, reports from scouts that more join the cause of these scoundrels that broke their oaths. Was three dozen Dreadlords enough for this? Ademar, confident in his spirit, believed. Hell a dozen would still manage.

The man walked and stopped near where Talus crouch, he too crouching but even then he stood taller than most men. A greatsword was sheathed at his waist and his signature weapon, a large mace, held in one hand. Silent he remained, pretending as if not to know Talus to give any ideas to the others; however, he gave him a curt nod.

 

[Harry]

A peculiar weightlessness would strike Hal’s limbs before missions and battles. It was a rather disorienting feeling, especially when standing. He could barely feel the earth sink under his step. That same lack of feeling caused his feet to drag and even when he curled his fingers into a tight ball, he felt nothing but the strained muscles in his arm.

The apprentice’s mind was perfectly clear despite that. Clear enough, anyways, that he finally noticed the anxiety that begin to crawl over his skin.

Here, more so than ever before, Hal stared at death. A single league away, death waited for him. It would not come to meet him or any of his ilk that surrounded him. Instead, they would willingly march towards it.

Fingers curled under the collar of his gambeson and pulled at the mail shirt that had suddenly begin to feel suffocating. He began to walk around the impromptu camp, hoping for feeling to return to his hands and feet.

Not quite expecting it, he passed behind two familiar bodies.

“Talus,” He didn’t let his relief and excitement surface. Hal turned his attention to the other, trying to recall his name. He’d been there when hunting the runaway nobleman, but Hal couldn’t confidently put a name to that face.

“Amedar,” He said with a nod.

Hal chose to remain standing behind and between the two others, mostly out of fear of stumbling over if he tried to kneel down.

 

[Talus]

Talus smiled as Hal fudged Ademar's name, finding a small amount of amusement in a moment fraught with fear.

He managed to stifle a chuckle, but the smirk that drew a line across his lips couldn't quite be helped. "Hal."

The Apprentice returned the greeting with a nod, turning to face his friend. A glance over his shoulder returned a small reward. He watched as Fen threw his arms up in the air and give a sign of exasperation, walking away from the group and heading towards the small gathered group.

"Fucking idiots."​

He spoke loud enough that even Florithe Othal and Virgil would be able to hear.

"They're going to get us all killed."​

Talus raised an eyebrow. His mentor spoke freely more often than not, but he was surprised that he would do as such here as well. The men and women in this camp were deadly, and most of them would likely take offense at being called idiots. "Uhh."

Before Talus could properly speak Fen grabbed the eyes of everyone standing nearby, scowling, then pointing to everyone.

"You. All of you. Come here."​

He motioned towards Talus' friends and the two that could overhear.

 

[Florinthe Othal]

She was fidgeting again. It was a habit she'd picked up in the academy, moving her fingers, picking her nails, scratching a non-existent itch. The proctors had hated it, Florinthe had hated it and her late master had hated it too, yet here it remained. She was certain everyone here felt the same nerves as she, in fact, it was palpable in the air surrounding the group. But she cursed herself anyway, she had no friends here and a soldier without comrades is a dead one. Her mind spiralled into dark places, and fast, but she paused and remembered her exercise. One... Two... Three... Calm.

As her emotions washed over her, she quickly noted the figure making his way towards the small group. Part of her training, upon graduating, had been to memorise the names and faces of all graduated Dreadlords and so she recognised the cantankerous Fenrith immediately. Personally, she had always appreciated the candour of some of her more senior colleagues and Fen was no exception. Florinthe found herself easing up as he cursed the rest of the contingent and almost found herself smiling. Almost that was.

A summons? Her? Well, whatever he had in mind her interest was piqued. Almost without thought, she found herself wandering over to the small crowd. And, again, without thought she piped up.

"If you would like me to jump as well Master Lavarus, please do tell me how high."

 

[Virgil]

Virgil had ignored the small gathering at first glance. Teo dreadlords speaking to one another was not uncommon. A third joined them and that did warrant his attention however, idly stepping a but closer before yet another was drawn to the group.

And spoke loud enough to make his eyes widen.

Even being who he was, Fen spoke without hesitation and that alone made Virgil respect the man. Wasn't enough to throw his life down for him by any means. But one did not ignore senior members without reprecussions.

When called for, he did little more than frown before stepping closer, his hand giving a nervous twitch and his mind beginning to work on ward. Not that he figured a fight would break out before the assault. One could never assume however.

The other that joined when called for spoke, and the small grin could not be hidden as he watched her. Virgil wasn't sure of the idea behind the small meeting, but he would at least stay and listen.

 

[Ademar Acero]

“Hal,” and gave a nod towards the man. He was a warrior he worked with before, chasing a noble that tried to gather a navy and army to raid war galleys and trading vessels from Vel Anir. He also participated in capturing Coraliv; however, he did not exactly work with him in his squad. Two faces he was familiar with and could more than an ounce of trust without worrying too much risk.

Talus’ mentor seemed to be agitated with the other Dreadlords that ranked higher than them and approached the small group of Hal, Talus, and Ademar. The man was very vocal, calling the other Dreadlords idiots. Loud enough for two other sets of ears to listen. He held mistrust for the others about whatever plan they had, understanding the limited context he knew was that it had potential in risking lives.

Ademar gave his attention to Fen, and made doubtful eyes to other two that joined. He did not trust them with all that was happening, and he would not hesitate in eliminating any source that would threaten his life.

“Are they traitors, Master Fen? Do they seek to sabotage the mission?”

 

[Harry]

Fenrith Lavarus. Selene's opinion of him hadn't been an outright negative one. She'd said he was an enigmatic and dangerous one but likely didn't pose a threat to her goals. Whatever those goals were, anyways. She seemed to hold him in high regard, more than could be said for the rest of her confreres. That, coupled with the fact that Hal's closest and most trusted friend was his apprentice, made the choice to listen an easy one to make.

He wasn't quite sure about the two others that were somehow hooked into the group.

"Or they would have us march to certain death," He nodded towards the treeline. They were a league away, but who knew what kind of traps and dangers were between them and the keep in the forest.

Three dozen of them were there- it was an especially large group. It was probably one of the most lethal fighting forces that had gathered anywhere in Arethil within the last several years. Even then, that did not guarantee they could hike three miles through unknown forestry and make it to the other side unscathed. The numbers from the rogue group weren't likely too much larger than their own and it was confirmed that fodder filled some of the ranks.

Though, there was Velath Sunborn to consider. They might as well have been three dozen versus a thousand men.

Hal folded his arms and waited for Fen to speak now that the group had gathered.

 

[Talus]

"Traitors? No. They're too stupid for that."

It seemed as though Fen was not in a good mood, something that even a complete stranger could read at this point. Talus stared at his Mentor, glancing towards Hal when he spoke and looking back to Fen when the man nodded.

"Exactly."​

Ah.

That would explain it. Fen was not one for military tactics, he generally liked to approach things from a...different angle. It would seem that those in charge had come up with a plan that Fen did not agree with.

"The fools want to conduct a full frontal assault on the fortress."​

Talus could feel himself blanch. Velath Sunborn had been known for his incredibly powerful magics. If he saw them coming, he could likely wipe away the entire river just to do away with the coming Dreadlords.

Fen stared at Talus, smiling.

"I see you know what that would entail my young Apprentice. Good news is, you lot won't let that happen."​

Fen glanced over his shoulder.

"Luckily for you, and me, you're all rather unimportant, and if you were to go out and scout the rear of the Fortress to find a better path inside...well I doubt anyone here would notice."​

Talus frowned for a brief moment, looking at the others and idly touching the hilt of his sword before slowly noddingg. "We could do that."

It was better than running into the jaws of death.

 

[Florinthe Othal]

Florinthe glanced carefully around the crowd Fenrith had assembled. She had hoped to break the ice somewhat, but it seemed her attempt at humour fell on deaf ears. She'd made herself laugh and elicited a smile from one of the group at least. It wasn't long, however, before her attention shifted entirely towards Ademar. Fen had seniority and more than a little clout within the Dreadlords, but for him to suggest traitors, even in a closed group such as this, was either incredibly brave or foolish.

Her focus did not last long and Fen's latest bombshell had shocked her to her core. While she had only, moments ago, been complaining about being left in the dark Florinthe now wished that she remained ignorant. That is to say, while her expectations had been incredibly low regarding the prospects of strategy, even she had not considered the leadership of the mission to consider such an outrightly flawed tactic.

"I can't say I'm surprised, there isn't a single recognised strategist commanding this mission..." She paused, hiding her surprise at herself, her thoughts had slipped out and she had had no intention to voice them. Regardless, she remained silent thereafter leaving the group to come to their own conclusion about that point of fact.

Respect was a curious thing. As one grows, they assume that each passing year will, in turn, gain them more respect. In Florinthe's case, she had assumed that upon graduating she would finally be recognised as a peer and equal to her Dreadlord colleagues. Fen, however, had aptly demonstrated how this was not the case and that, whatever your situation, you were still junior to someone.

She let the brief irritation pass, her attention shifting curiously towards the apprentices around her. She had heard many of the fellow Dreadlords make comments about this current cohort of apprentices and would be interested to see how they fared on such a mission.

 

[Virgil]

Virgil did not stare at any one of them as they spoke in turn, rather keeping his eyes moving making a note of each as they spoke. The bluntness of Fen's words struck him again though as his brows drew together in surprise at his speech. The notion of marching to certain death did not sit well with Virgil, but he doubted it would for anyone.

The idea of sending such a large force against certain slaughter was, well, idiotic at best. So he could reason out the man's sentiment. The revelation of their intervention to certain doom however made Virgil give the man his full attention.

The idea of scouting the rear of the fortress was not a bad one by any means. On the other side of the coin however, who knew what could have been there. Their small party possibly running into a large rear guard was a possibility.

The certainty of death running foolishly towards the front gate however solidified his resolve for attacking the flank. He wondered idly about this possibly being a planned event. Mentally he turned the thought over, but gave it no credence for the time being.

If they had wanted to incite Fen to action however, they had achieved their goal. And drug the lot pf them in with him.

 

[Ademar Acero]

Marching them to death without proper reconnaissance was another way to translate saboteurs who either knew what exactly they were doing and purposely executing such moronic ideas, or were just inept despite their ranks. Only one with insight and understanding the task at hand. It would be just the five of them to handle this assignment and hope to complete it.

Though he’d be uneasy and not willing to put a pound of trust into the other two Apprentices he was unfamiliar with. They all wanted to see this mission be a successful one, but at what cost? Victory was their objective and so was their survival. The idea of death sounded peaceful, but he’d been stubborn to bend at it. Years of unforgiving harassment all worth to failure? Such thoughts angered him, a small nerve twitching at his head.

“It’ll be done, Master Fen,” determination and confidence in his voice, sounding like a leader although he served best as a lieutenant that could give valid opinions. Only one worthy to lead them, in his eyes, was Talus. Hal would most likely agree with him on that front.

“Let’s not waste another minute,” and stood up from his crouch, towering above the others. He stretched out his muscles, enjoying the relief of it, before eyes looking at Talus. Eyes that awaited any orders from his fellow Apprentice.

 

[Harry]

How was it, Hal thought, that he managed to find himself time and time again thrown into situations that required stealth when he was akin to a hammer rather than a scalpel?

Velath Sunborn’s magic was arguably second to none, though that alone wasn’t enough to secure his former position at the summit of their ilk. No, the man was cunning and would no doubt have prepared for the maneuver they were about to attempt.

That, however, meant nothing. Hal’s doubts meant nothing. The order was given, leaving them no choice to force a positive result from the ostensibly disadvantageous position they found themselves in. That seemed to always be the case, though this time the stakes were quite a bit more extreme.

So be it.

“I agree. We should make haste, before the leadership here takes notice of us and calls us in.” Hal would much rather attempt to sneak than to be thrown at the front. Apprentices were, after all, disposable compared to even a Dreadlord of the Fourth.

“And you, sir?” He addressed Fenrith, curious as to what the Third would be doing while they attempted to sneak through the rear.

 

[Talus]

Fen smirked at Florithe's words.

"You and I will have to talk more after this."​

Talus had never known his Mentor to be disparaging of anyone's talents. He had in fact tried to tell Talus that even the lowest Fourth Level could have been useful if they were put in the right position. As a matter of his person, Fen did not think to simply throw anyone away.

It was an attitude that had been altogether foreign to Talus had first, though now he was growing more used to Fen's quirky ways.

When Hal spoke the smirk on Fen's face fell away. His eyes seemed to shift for a second, an odd sheen running over them as he glanced at Talus, and then quickly regarded Hal.

"I'll make sure none of you die when you get there."​

The words were cryptic, but Talus had decided not to try and decipher his mentors words. Instead he simply clapped Hal on the shoulder as Fen stood up and began to return to the others.

When he walked away Talus looked to Florithe.

She was recently graduated, and that meant among them she was of the highest rank. Despite his time under Fen's tutelage, he still respected rank. He waited for her word to get going.

 

[Florinthe Othal]

Florinthe felt a cold chill wash over her body. Shuddering internally, she cursed herself. The most important lesson she had been given by her master, broken in a second. Never, under any circumstances, get yourself noticed. Fen, particularly, was a man who seemed to know significantly more than he let on. That alone made him dangerous.

She sighed quietly but otherwise remained silent. She had no doubt that Fen's hand would be felt somewhere along the line of this mission, but the suspense and unknowing made her uneasy. It was hard enough attacking behind enemy lines, yet here they stood knowing only half the plan, he hadn't made it easy for them.

As she began to mull over the details of the new mission, she found herself acutely aware of one of the apprentice pups glancing over in her direction. Florinthe met Talus' gaze curiously, it seemed to stretch for an uncomfortable amount of time until the realisation dawned on her. Fuck.

Her eyes darted across the group, confirming her worst fears. With Fen's departure, she was the only Dreadlord amongst them and, if rank meant anything, she would have quite considerable influence on how the mission proceeded. She had never led a team before and this was not how she had wanted to start.

"Alright, come on then, let's get our deaths over with." She had already begun to wander off before she'd finished, she just prayed that someone would follow.

 

[Virgil]

The scarred one was eager to begin, and the other in the small group was of a mind to escape the notice of the other leaders. Not a terrible idea given their current plan seemed to clash with what the others wanted. Lingering would garner questions, and it only took one of them slipping to sink the ship and getting their hides tanned. Most likely while they were still alive to watch the process.

The graduate among them however had caught Fen's attention, and Virgil didn't envy her at all. Fen left them with a cryptic remark, and the apprentice decided not to mull on the words for too long, but did give them a quick wonder. How was he going to make sure they wouldn't die if he was at the front while they were at the back? Fen wasn't his mentor, but he didn't see how anyone could pull off a trick like that.

Not that any of the senior members had taken a particular interest in Virgil. Other than his heightened aggression for elves, he was a rather average apprentice save for his wards. Wards however weren't quite prestigious enough to garner attention.

"Ah, don't be so hopeful. It's just become a contest to see who is more unprepared." He was only a few steps behind Florithe when she made to lead the group, his words meant to be teasing. Their wasn't a smile on his face with the words however, the seriousness of the situation not escaping him.

 

[Harry]

Right. Hal supposed that not knowing the Dreadlord’s exact plans may be a good thing. He half expected some reckless, unconventional plot that would be more likely to fail than succeed. Yes, perhaps not knowing was better.

After Fenrith left, Hal almost immediately looked to Talus. His gaze followed his friend’s to Florithe, the only one ranked in their impromptu group. She began to remark on the situation and turned to wander off midway through. Hal followed while thinking of the potential former Dreadlords he could face off against. If he managed to kill some notables, it would help raise his stock for when the time to be ranked arrived.

“I’d expected it, but your mentor is really... unique.” He whispered to Talus. “Selene is usually stoic, but she was actually relieved when she wasn’t summoned. It was kind of refreshing to see.”

Mere idle talk to stave off the anxiety he felt.

 

[Talus]

Talus grumbled something about not yet being ready to die as he fell into step behind Florinthe and Virgil.

He wondered briefly just what the hell they were actually going to do, but as they disappeared into the forest he decided it wasn't his problem. If they found another way into the Fortress it was a boon, and if Velath Sunborn spotted them...

Well they probably wouldn't be alive long enough to actually care.

The young apprentice found himself pulled from his thoughts as Hal stepped up next to him and whispered. A small smile touched his lips, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "She's probably glad not to be walking to her executioner."

Talus said, smirking slightly at the thought of the Fearsome Selene actually being afraid of something.

As the group of Dreadlords walked the sound of a river began to echo, the forest thinning out as they reached the stream.

On the opposite bank the forest continued, and beyond that on the left Talus could see the Keep that they were meant to infiltrate. It was a simple thing, four walls, three towers. One standing in the center with two near it's front.

"Do you see that?" He spoke loud enough for the others to hear this time. "On the tower?"

A slight glint reflected from between the parapet, and Talus could almost swear he made out the silhoutte of a person.

 

[Ademar Acero]

The idea of Florinthe leading this ragtag group of Dreadlords did not sit well with him, nor was her joke about their deaths. One would think Ademar had tough skin and able to take a joke considering his size, but he was a sensitive man. This was a dangerous profession that wasn’t meant for all, even for hardened warriors that did not exactly train in the same methods they did. With that small quip he could theorize what kind of person Florinthe was. She indeed outranked them, but did rank necessarily correlate with talent and experience? In few cases, it did not.

He’d follow her command, as he walked closely with Talus and Hal. If she intentionally compromised them with a plan that was sure to risk them with little chances of survival, he’d made sure to eliminate that threat to his life and to his other two allies. Amongst them, no matter rank they were, it was unofficially encouraged to betray or compromise other Dreadlords that were a threat to their power or as a means to climb the ladder to unquestionable authority.

They walked, the forest beginning to thin itself with less trees standing around them. So far they had not triggered any traps that was thought their adversaries would engineer to safeguard their position. The stream was a welcoming sight, gave a new color as opposed to all the green and brown they were surrounded in. Talus then spoke, words that cautioned him and the others as his words were in regard to the keep they were meant to infiltrate. Something he saw in one of the towers, it was enough to frighten his heart in fast racing beats against his ribs.

“Fuck,” was the first thing he uttered, with some annoyance in it, “it must’ve been a watchman, no doubt.” Which was an assumption. It could’ve been anything, but what was more likely? Their enemy was led by men with knowledge and experience to further their defenses in the keep. If they were caught, well...what more could they do?

“What do you propose we do,” his words meant for Florinthe, words awaiting for orders and to see exactly how capable she was in leading them.

 

[Florinthe Othal]

Florinthe surveyed the landscape before her. It was tricky enough planning a raid against an enemy when you knew your allies. Yet here she was, plotting against an Archon without a single inkling of her comrade's skills. Her train of thought was immediately disrupted as she clocked the figure that Talus had spotted. Instinctively she reached for a javelin, but almost immediately let her hand fall back to her side. While she was certain she could hit the target from this distance and, in all honesty, would likely try in any other circumstances, she was acutely aware of the consequences of alerting the Archon to their position.

"We'll need to cross the river here, while we still have cover, and travel alongside the forest on the opposite bank. Once we get to the fort, we'll try to find a blind spot and cross back over. If we stay on this side the sentries will spot us from a mile away." Florinthe turned as she spoke and began to size up each of the apprentices in turn - literally this time. Her magic certainly wasn't suited to taking them across the river - at least not without expending a disproportionate amount. "I don't know what any of you are capable of, but please tell me that one of you can assist with crossing the bridge. If not, then I'm afraid you're all going to have to get very wet."

Without pause, her mind began racing yet again. Velath Sunborn was a shrewd tactician, with many victories under his belt. While this attack had been kept secret, she was sure it wouldn't be as easy as simply sneaking up behind the fortress. "Once we've crossed the river, I'm going to need one of you to scout ahead with me. Sunborn is smart, he wouldn't have left such a glaring weakness open without any defences. We'll need to probe for traps, or at the very least guards." Closing her eyes, Florinthe inhaled deeply. Her plan required two very specific sets of expertise and, even then, she was unsure if it would be enough.

"I'm going to make you all aware now. You step, where I step. You do, what I do and you listen, when I speak. If we're going to oppose Sunborn, you're going to need to work with me." Florinthe didn't feel the need to state the costs of disobeying her. Their lives were forfeit and in her hands now, as was her own.

 

[Virgil]

Florithe lead the way, only stopping when the group spotted what was likely a sentry at their post. Seemed they would have to take an alternate route. Virgil remained quiet as he listened to their interim leader speak about crossing the river. His lip twitched, finally deciding to at least offer something that could help.

Possibly.

So long as it worked anyway.

"So long as we move quickly, I have something that'll get everyone across." He spoke, at least offering up the option of staying dry for the coming fight they would likely have coming. Wouldn't do to be spotted flailing in the river either when they were trying to be sneaky.

The rest of her words he simply listened to. He'd offered up his help, and he wasn't about the power game like most of them were. Head down and back guarded kept you alive longer. Her last words however made him look sharply to the ranking member of their party. She sounded more like an instructor in his opinion than a step above them.

Then again, each Dreadlord went through different experiences, so it was hard to tell what had tempered her to lead or think in such a way.

 

[Harry]

Hal was silent for a moment, waiting for another to speak up and offer his assistance in crossing the river. The apprentice silently triumphed as another did. The longer he could keep his ability known only by Ademar and Talus, the better. Even though their cooperation was key if they were to survive, much less succeed, Selene would always stress keeping his cards particularly close. He was never one to flaunt his ability anyways despite how eye-catching it could be.

Though, it would have been an effortless thing to cross the river for Hal.

He folded his arms and raised a brow at the Third's final comment. Ranking was nothing to scoff at. Despite that, and despite him being unranked, he looked down on Florithe. His experience was vast for one of his station, and that coupled with his training under Selene gave him a mountain of confidence. A part of him entertained the thought of killing the Third right there out of spite.

"I'm no good for scouting. If push comes to shove, however," His eyes danced from Virgil to Ademar. He hadn't a clue what the former was capable of, but Hal did know that himself and Ademar as a pair could devastate the enemy. Not that they would be keen in doing so unless Sunborn was otherwise occupied. "it would be best if you all were behind me."

While maintaining relative secrecy of his magic, it got the point across of what his role would be.

 

[Talus]

"I can scout well enough." Was the only thing that Talus offered in answer.

He looked over to Hal when a bridge was mentioned, but the fact that the boy didn't offer any details signaled what he was after. Lips thinned for a brief moment, and then he simply turned towards Florinthe with a shrug.

Somehow in the back of his mind he doubted that this little crew would be the one to take on Sunborn, but if these were his compatriots in that fight...well, best to support them how he could.

"Once Virgil gets us across I can take point." He offered. "It's unlikely I'll get caught."

He would not test the Dreadlord. Technically she could get away with executing any of them with little reproach. It was best to simply...work slowly on making sure they all ended up on the good side of this.

Without another word he waited for the group to move.