Quest To Bring Solace
By: Adyraveth
Adyra, with one hand, loosened the knot that tied her en-spelled journal to her belt. Running her fingers over the glistening silver filigree she marveled at how brightly its ocean-blue gems reflected the full moon's light. She looked up from where she was nestled in between bear-size bushes and a small but well-girthed pine. Hidden there on the scruffy hill top, she had a perfect view of the moonlit path below. It'd be a while before her recipient of Justice would go on midnight patrol.
And so, she'd take the time to write in her journal. With a whispered word its lock unlatched and she delicately turned to the next blank page. There in an elegant script she inscribed a prayer, not only for her own well being, but the swift fall of her target and the family of her friend...that this justice would serve some solace. Re-tying her journal, she surveyed the path below. There would be just enough range that if each arrow flew true, her target would be a pin cushion and fall before he would see her step out of hiding. Surely it was folly to think an ambush of arrows would go exactly as planned, but the Light was strongly with her and she was sure if Justice winged her arrows, it would.
The encampment nearby was tiny outlying and menial at best, serving only as a small stop in the chain of supply for the forces of Destruction, hence the trivial amount of patrols. Adyra had scouted the midnight solo-patrol for several days and there He was, as expected. A hulking half armored shadowy marauder began trudging down the dry rocky path. "poor Hallen," Adyra whispered to her self. "I never want to know how it was they broke you into submission. Here comes your Release!"
Readying her arrow, she felt a slight breeze pick up and aimed high. The arrow came down into his neck but not with enough force to produce the arterial bleed she'd hoped. Quickly she had let two arrows fly as he turned toward his assailant. They dropped in apparent down draft to hit either side of his exposed breast bone. Swiftly with a leaping slide down the hillside brought her closer for a poisoned arrow to hit deep in his gut. Still he lumbered mindlessly toward her. She could hear the angry wet gurgle of air escaping his now collapsing lungs. The grotesquely dis-formed Hallen half raised a weapon, but Adyra in a ready stance pulling out her long sword spun around bringing a powerful slash down across his throat.
In that moment all was quiet and still, Hallen's eyes brightened, blinked and he fell to the ground.
Now Adyra bent over the seemingly steamy corpse searching for a trinket of proof. And there on his swollen hand still he wore his family's signet ring. The finger had partially grown around it. With the point of her sword at his knuckle and a quick jerk the finger and ring was hers for the proof of Justice done. Quickly she dropped it in a small leather pouch and stood tying it to her belt.
Then she looked once more at the form that used to be her human Friend Hallen. "goodbye, Hallen, I know you would've done the same for me."
Then she heard from behind the tell tell sound of arrow in air but not in time to dodge the blow. A glance over the shoulder hit confirmed a squig herder on the hillside above.
This wasn't good at all she thought, not when he has the range on me. And with all the strength she could muster she sprinted toward the thick woods to the north. The greenskin musn't have really wanted the chase as she lost it fairly easy in the piney woods. Her task at hand was the trek back to Nordland, and present Hallen's father a bit of rest and solace.