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Busy digging into the rubble in search of the missing ranger, Rook did not hear her gelding being led away by Ruslan's scavenging men.

"Please no..." she whispered as she rolled a heavy rock away to reveal a man's arm, already cold to the touch. Fearing what she might find, she continued moving debris until the man's face was revealed. He was much too old to be Leo and she immediately felt a combination of relief and then guilt... for surely this was someone's loved one.

Digging the dead man out the rest of the way, she struggled to move his heavy body over to the pile that Sir Arnold had started. Perhaps she could use Hobo to help the work go faster, she thought and headed back toward where she'd left her horse, too preoccupied in her own private memories and thoughts to notice Ruslan hiding nearby.

But she did notice two things almost at the same moment... her horse was gone and a blonde haired woman who appeared unscathed by the devastation. Of those two things, the fact that Hobo was missing was the far more distressing one. "Did you see a gray horse?" she asked Illumia urgently. "He was just here..."

Initially, she was surprised she had been noticed, but even in the dark, she shone like a golden flame unquenchable. “I’ve only just arrived myself,” she explained, “but I have seen no other living creature, save for those still in the town, either trapped or freed.” She looked behind the other woman, at last finding whom she sought; Arun-Ja, Savior of Nirn. “Excuse me, friend,” she pardoned, unsure wether the term “woman” would be rebuked or not, “I must see an old friend of mine.” She walked past the woman, heading straight for the elderly sorcerer, who was now engaged in reading the runes he had written down. “Arun-Ja Xercles,” She spoke in Ayleidoon, gaining his attention, “it has been a while.”

“Illumia, my old friend,” the sorcerer replied in the same tongue, letting a Winged Twilight take over his research for a time, “it has indeed been a long while since last we spoke. Did the Lady of Light send you to me, or is this a visit of another purpose?”

“The former, I fear,” she replied, “Merid-Nunda has warned me of what is to come; she has sent me to aid you against this darkness, wether or not you agree.”

“I see,” he sighed, “very well, if Merida wishes it, I shall not deny it. Help me study these runes I’ve found; I believe they may lead to the source of this foul magic.”

“What has been found so far,” she inquired, peering into the sorcerer’s notes.

“Nothing legible, at the time,” he exhaled, “only these symbols that I believe relate to the power of whomever did this.”

“By the light of Merid-Nunda, this foul spellcaster shall pay for her crimes,” Illumia shouted, her voice nearly breaching the heavens.

A nuke launches itself from the mountain and kills everything on the island The End.

...No. Joke's over...

Horse? Didn't my men find someone's horse

He made a mental note of each persons: a strange lizard-like creature (Ruslan assumed an odd variation of a lizardfolk), a young ranger girl (the one who claimed to have lost her horse), a knightly fellow (with a troop of well-armed men), a man wearing the clothes of a noble (perhaps even a king?), another knight with a rude tone (seemed self centered), and lastly a newer woman (whose energy seemed to irradiate before Ruslan's eyes).

"Lord Schafer," Osbert whispered, startling Ruslan, "What's our move?"

"You little pisspot.. Don't do that." Ruslan scolded, "I think we should reveal ourselves in a calm manner. One at a time."

"My apologies! And fair, m'lord."

Osbert backed away and stealthily made his way to each sailor, notifying them of the new plan. Once the word was out, Ruslan slowly stepped forth from behind his pillar and approached the main group with his hands held chest level.

"Hello, friends!" He introduced, "I am Ruslan Ernst Schafer of Zeria of Nafia and my men and I mean you no harm! We only seek to find survivors such as yourselves."

After this said, each man, one by one, came out and made way to Ruslan's side. Osbert standing slightly behind with a hand on sword.

The ranger, who was now the closest of the group to Ruslan's position, turned toward him, her hand finding the fletching of an arrow almost instinctually before she realized he was attempting to show that he intended peace. So she did not put the arrow to the string. Still, he was a stranger in the aftermath of a tragedy, which meant he, as everyone else here, was suspect in her eyes, so she kept a bit of distance, particularly as more men joined him.

Sailors, she thought. Not an uncommon site in the port town.

"It seems lucky, Ruslan of Zeria, that you did not arrive earlier than you did. Have you found other groups of survivors yet?" She asked as she wiped a bit of sweat from her brow from the physical labor of moving the rubble, reminded that she'd been heading this direction to get her waterskin from her saddlebags. But one thing at a time.

Toyle came over to meet the newcomers.

"I am lord Toyle, ruler of Vallan.. or what's left of it. If you come in peace I offer to share what little shelter and meagre food we have left" invited Toyle formally welcoming them

Lord knight Pentre is my second I command. He is in charge of the army and defence and keeps law and order.

Lord Arnold, captain Aria are what is left of the army after the attack" explained Toyle

Aria had continued on with the group, now glancing around the mostly destroyed village with a face of worry. What once had been something of a home, had now been turned into a little more than dust, and she was taking in every sight. She decided now would be a better time than ever to go ahead and try to wipe some of the blood off of her garments. Though that smell it carried with it, eugh. It's something similar to rot.

She sat down nearby to try wipe some more of it off of her sabatons. Not much later however, the clouds around the mountain echo with thunder yet again. The red lightning can be seen traveling across it once more, however this time more plentiful, and louder than the last time it boomed. The wind has picked up now, fast and carrying dust and ash with it quickly through the trees and through the holes in the walls, ever so slightly revealing a few more skeletons and bodies under the dusty rubble that weren't noticeable before.

“It is getting stronger,” Arun-Ja noticed, Illumia’s attention turning to the storm as well, “we must warn them.”

“If you insist,” The Ayleid Queen sighed, “but I fear they may not understand the signs.”

“Heroes and travelers,” Arun-Ja spoke clearly, “the storm of the sorceress is getting stronger; I’ve been deciphering these symbols and have found multiple correlations to dark magic unlike anything I’ve ever seen. My companion and I have translated a few, namely the more prominent ones; they read, “death,” “far,” “deep,” “abyss,” and “void.” I believe this dark spellcaster may be a user of Void Magic, a dark and terrible form of power that is considerably dangerous for both wielder and targets. If this is so, we will need to find something to combat this darkness; namely, the Light-Fire of Merid-Nunda, wielded by my close ally, Dresala, who stands beside me ready to act against this foe. We will continue to research this topic, but we may need a few objects, relics, or items of worth to fit a plan in place.”

“Agreed,” bowed Ruslan to Rook, “and I have! For I arrived to Vallan nearly an hour ago with a ship full of sailors. While coming into port we noticed the ruin and decided to dock. The captain called forth nearly two dozen men from his ship, calling me to lead them in search for any loot and/or survivors and return them to the ship by dawn. And I do believe one of these men might have found your horse you speak of. My greatest apologies. I will be sure that it is returned.”

He said this last sentence with a nod to Young Osbert, who in turn made haste to retrieve her horse and notify the others that there was no threat and that they may have additional members aboard their ship (especially that of kingliness).

“Lorde Toyle, yes. I have heard many a-tale of you! I will have you know that your name rings well upon my lands, and so it is truly an honor to meet you! I’m sure my sailors can say the same...” Ruslan smiled as he and his sailors each bowed in a most respectable manor, “Actually Master Toyle, I would honorably offer you and the rest of these peoples a safe passage to our ship in hopes of a quick escape. Unless you wish to remain here of course?”

Being introduced to Toyle’s officers, Ruslan nodded to each of them in a less respectable, yet fair, manor, “Well met. Each of you.”

And finally, he reacted to the words of the ”lizardman”, “I know much of Magic from where I come from, however the words and claims you make mean nothing to me. I insist that all of you seek refuge upon the ship so we may sail away both from this ungodly storm and this damned town. Our deck will be open till the first light of morrow’. We have food, drink, and shelter aboard. This is my one and only offer and for that, I apologize.”

Toyle nodded in understanding.

"My friend, I thank you and your own for the kind invite of warmth, shelter and food, but duty nd honour compells me to decline your offer.

We have saved some survivors who were alive and there may be more beneath the rubble. I cannot abandon my people in their distress and hour of need. Even our dead deserve a better burial.

You have the greater numbers which I cannot fight off presently and you seem to come in peace so you may take loot in return for sparing our lives from any attacks from your part and you may take any survivors willing to go, but take no prisoners... Only those willing to go. Many a man would prefer to die home than sail away into exile.

The lord of the lands will remain here in Vallan to search for those missing with his bare hands, for not all are dead, and to somehow fight the threat up that hides up there for I am no coward who would run away in the face of adversity and certain death" explained Toyle

"If you intend to sail, though, do so quickly, I fear the wind is getting stronger and the storm more treacherous. It may soon worsen to the point of unsettling the seas and prevent your departure. Wait not till dawn, rather go now with my blessings whilst it is not too late, it would be a loss to find you on my shores as castaways" Warned Toyle growing silent as he was able to hear shouts for help from beneath the rubble that had been the tavern

"Help... Help us... Please...someone help. Martha is bleeding a lot, she's badly wounded, she needs help over here" shouted Desire throwing punches at the hatch where they hid beneath, which lead to the cellar and pantry

"Toby is dead, he's not moving or breathing, someone please get us out " urged Desire, Serena doing her best to make Martha comfortable

"A gray gelding?" Rook asked hopefully upon hearing that Ruslan's men might have found Hobo. She trusted that horse with her life on nearly a daily basis and he was, in truth, the closest friend she had these days. And she immediately followed Young Osbert to find out for sure if it was, indeed, Hobo, that they'd found, getting too far away to hear Toyle or the people trapped below.

"I've only just returned to Vallan this morning myself, maybe an hour ago," she said as she hurried to catch up with Osbert. "That lizard creature seems to suggest it was the witch, the sorceress Adryn, who is responsible." She glanced up again at the growing storm atop the mountain. "She lives up there." And with that Rook thought of the other possibility Sir Arnold had suggested... that the ranger Leo could have been taken captive, a disturbing possibility considering the witch's reputation for necromancy.

Once the horse had been recovered, she hoped, she could make faster progress searching the area where Leo's medallion had been found.

“There’s one beneath the rubble,” Arun-Ja noticed, pointing to the hatch covered in stone, “would you do the honors; I’m certain that the first thing they’d want to see as they climbed to freedom wouldn’t be a strange lizard man with a Daedric familiar standing over them.”

“Of course,” she replied, moving to the blocked cellar and using her power to move the blockage from the entrance. “You’re safe now,” she explained as the door was opened, “we’re going to help you, if we can.”

“Your thanks is unnecessary m’lord and your reasoning is solid, if not honorable,” Ruslan said with a nod, “We are not pirates Lord, only sailors with blunted weapons. My captain thought you dead, and on his behalf I greatly apologize! We will return any treasures found back to you as soon as possible. That is a promise.

Again though, I offer you refuge upon the ship, so we may be sheltered from this storm. We do not have to make leave. Only outlast this terrible storm.”

Ruslan looked up into the sky anxiously, for he sensed it’s strangness. It was not of something natural.

“I myself did not see this horse, however I wouldn’t doubt that it belongs to you,” Ruslan apologized, “I’m sorry fair lady.

“I do not trust this lizardman.. for he seems too confident..”

“I am offended,” he scolded the them both, “I’m as much a person as anyone else around here; I had parents and siblings too, you know, but they were all killed by the Worm Cult to bring Nirn into Coldharbor. I know you don’t understand what I’m saying, but imagine everyone you love killed before your eyes to summon some dark god, then see the dagger stab into you as your life flickers and fades into nothing. I went through that, and I’d appreciate it if you labeled me as an equal rather than some ‘creature’ from beyond, thank you.” He returned to his research.

Sir Arnold thanked Illumia and came forth at once, helping Serena and Desire out and bringing Martha in arms from the cellar below, one of those wounded beyond salvation that Pentre would have no qualms in murdering

"She took him... The ranger lad... He stood up to her, bow to hand, shot her with arrows and daggers, she bled and was furious, he took his sword and did quite some damage before he fell under a net, into her minions hands. She told them to bring him alive, some ritual, some sacrifice of sorts" coughed and gasped Martha

"It hurts..." Wept the sweat covered cold woman, grasping the knight's hand and dropping dead shortly after

Arn closed her eyes and brought her to the pile, keeping silent, his eyes trailing off to the ominous mountain shuddering at what horrors that witch might have in store for the bold and brave one.

Perhaps it would have been better Pentre had given Sir Leonardo a quicker death, the lesser of two evils and it was his fault he had delayed such execution

"Hobo!" Rook exclaimed in relief as she and Osbert reached the ship and she saw her trusty steed tied nearby. She went up to horse, giving him an affectionate rub on the nose. "What have I told you about going off with strangers," she scolded lightly, as if the horse could understand her. "Thank you, sir," she told Osbert. "For keeping him safe. Now I must hurry back and aid the search for survivors." She still held out hope her childhood friend would not be found dead under the rubble, still not knowing the news the other woman had shared with Arnold with her dying breaths.

Though just as she was about to leave, she heard a bark from somewhere aboard the ship. "Is it your dog, sir?" she asked Osbert. "Na, lass, just a mongrel found sniffing 'round the ruins," he answered.

Rook cupped her hands around her mouth and made several noises that sounded very much like a dog bark. Normally, she would not have let her ability on display in front of others, but she felt like every moment wasted was one closer to losing Leo forever. The dog answered, coming running along the plank set up between the ship and the dock, tail wagging excitedly, barking excitedly at her. "I need to borrow him for a bit, please," she said, giving the skinny beast a few bites of the dried jerky that had been stored in her saddle bag. Then mounted up and hurried back toward the jail, the dog following behind.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “there was nothing I could do; Merid-Nunda forbade me anything more than I had done.”

“It’s alright, Drelasa,” Arun-Ja comforted her, “you did what you could, and that’s all you were able. May her journey to Aitherius be peaceful and swift.”