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-----Raven slowly gets to his feet and looks down at Jon. Raven's face is cloaked in shadow. Raven stands there for moment with his head bowed. With his head still bowed, Raven says, "We need to search the keep for Rinda. Jon said he hid her, so she must be in the keep." Raven bends down and inspects the arrows that killed Jon. Raven then says, "I'm looking for Rinda. Someone better be a look out. Whoever attacked the keep might still be around." Raven then starts looking for any tracks or clues to find Rinda.
-----Zentil speaks. "I'm gonna go check out that light we saw in the woods. I can see well in the dark and move very quietly enough not to alert anything hostile to my presence. If I encounter anything, I'll come back and report it." Zentil then moves to exit the keep.
-----As Zentil leaves, Sol lights a couple of torches and hands one to Raven. He then draws his sword and angrily says, "If they’re still here, they’re going to be hurting!" Sol stops as the torchlight illuminates more of the main hall.
-----The despair on the young man’s face reflects what he sees. The wooden chairs once set about the great stone table have been thrown about and hacked to pieces. The wall hangings that must of displayed symbols sacred to the word of Thales lie on the floor shredded. A smell of death and the coppery smell of blood hang in the air.
-----Suddenly Rand points to a body lying face down behind Sol. He rushes over to it and begins to examine the still form. Like Jon, this man wore chain mail, but lies atop a shield. The curly brown hair and beard identifies the man as Kylne. As Rand lowers his head, the others know Kylne is gone also.
-----Rising, Rand quietly says, "Amythiel, can you find something to cover them with?" Turning toward Raven, Rand adds, "I will watch by the door. The Sun Lord in Hearthorn told me Arliss was to meet us here today." The look on Rand’s face does not hide his concern. As he turns toward the door, he says, "I have one last curative spell. Call me if you find wounded."
-----As Raven leads Sol, Thalog, and Sarah up the stairs. Amythiel calls after them, "Raven, when you find Rinda, call on me! Do not move her!" Amythiel then invokes the word, "Solati!" and the main hall below them suddenly lights up.
-----On the second floor, Raven leads the other three toward the rooms along the west wall. As they carefully move across, they hear a boyish voice fearfully say, "D-D-Don’t move! I-I s-swear I’ll s-s-shoot you!"
-----Sarah tries to move toward the voice in the dark as slowly as possible, looking not threatening at all. When she gets nearer to him she murmurs, "vedica non tella no negrin."
-----The voice continues, "I-I-I mean it! D-D-Don’t come any clos . . ." Suddenly there is a hesitation and then the voice says a bit calmer, "Wait, I know you. You’re the girl that left with Raven on the hunt."
-----Stepping out into the torchlight is a young man with blond hair. He wears a chain tunic draped over his shoulders and carries a crossbow, though thankfully it is pointed to the ground. The young man the adventurers recognize as Goff, another of Broactor’s men. His characteristic dim-witted look is on his face, although his eyes reflect a starry glaze as he looks at Sarah.
-----"What happened, Goff? Who came? Where is Broacter?" Sarah asks.
-----Goff looks about and finally his eyes look at Raven.
-----"Raven, . . . oh Raven," Goff starts shaking his head, "Today I was up top on watch. To the west, I saw ‘em ridin’ like the hounds of hell, they was." Goff begins staring at no one in particular. "It looked like a whole army! I yelled down and Broactor, he was tellin’ Jon and Kylne what he was wantin’ ‘em to do. I run down and Jon tells me to help hide Rinda. After that, they surrounded us. Jon and me was lookin’ out a window and I seen Broactor and he took his change. He started runnin’ for the forest and I asked Jon why he was runnin’ away. Jon smiled and told me he wusn’t runnin’ from us, he was leadin’ the army away."
-----Here Goff looks into Raven’s face. Tears begin to well up. "They shot him, Raven," Goff’s voice sounds so small. "They kept shootin’ and shootin’ him and . . . they killed ‘em."
-----Goff stares back into the shadows. "That’s when they started hittin’ the door. The pounding wouldn’t stop! Jon told me whatever happens, guard Rinda. Don’t let ‘em near Rinda! So he and Kylne go down the stairs and I went to the hidin’ place." Goff suddenly grasps Raven’s arm, "I tried! I tried my best to guard her and we hid. I could hear ‘em tearin’ down the place. Later, they must’a went away. It’s been quiet a good long time now." Goff stops looking very tired.
-----Sarah’s voice is very serious, "Is there anyone else alive where you were hiding? Do you know where Rinda is or did they take her? Did you see what they did with Broacter’s body?"
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