Back to page 10
-----Sol bristles slightly at Sarah's accusation, though replies calmly, "Well, on my part, it's not a matter of giving in, or losing my 'integrity'. I shown in th' past my reluctance t'deal wi' prisoners in th' past like this, an' I doubt I could say I'd be doing this if they weren't orcs, but I guess I can't hide from this sort o' thing all my life. I also get why Raven has to do this. I respect him. I know he would not have the lot o' us at odds if he did not truly believe he HAS to do this."
-----"Ye say that more of ye want t' 'let' th' orcs live and take them t'Oakwood where they die anyway. So, if it serves Raven's own path in service of th' Great Hunter, his god, then they may as well die here. Instead o' making that extra bit o' effort t'travel t'town."
-----"I be surprised if there was anyone here who didn't have something they were unwilling to compromise on. I sure as hell do. One o' Raven's is obviously th' orcs. So be it."
-----The Dread Pirate shrugs his shoulders as he continues his departure, "What goes around comes around. Someday Raven will be down and will need a hand from someone and his actions will cause those in a position to help him to decide not to. As for Sol, in one breath he says he still doesn't want to do this, then in the next he says he's doing what he sees as being right. If it were the right thing to do ye wouldn't need to keep justifying it to yerself and everybody around ye. Ye'd just do it. There’s a bit of a dichotomy there, but I'd rather go to town and have a spot of rum than sit out here and debate it anymore." The Dread Pirate kicks his pony up to a steady trot, singing a raunchy pirate song all the while, hoping to get to town before he starts spouting any other sermons.
-----Still talking to Sarah as if Dread had spoken for her, Sol adds, "An' normally I wouldn't feel th' need to ‘justify’ myself. But ye did ask. I also stand by what I say. If Dread can't interpret it th' way I mean it, that's his problem."
-----The warrior stops momentarily, quirks his eyebrow and shudders, "Rum...Never did like th' stuff. Sailor's certainly are a hardy lot." He comments offhand. Sol still stands near the orcs, just watching over them waiting for the others, mainly Seth, to leave sight.
-----Kazel chuckles lightly. "So, if you believe in somethin' bad enough, then that makes it right?" She looks over at Sarah and seems to regard her with a new look for the first time, before turning back to Sol. "You're missing the point, anyway. How clean my hands are, and the fate of these orcs, are the last things on my mind. So don't you be speaking for anyone but yourself." So saying in a resigned voice, she turns back towards Oakwood.
-----Raven takes in a couple more deep breaths and then says to Sarah, "Sorry Sarah for going off on you. I'm not...myself right now. You're right to ask the question you did." Raven says to the group, "That goes for the group too. I haven't changed my stand on the orcs, but I lashed out at the group and that wasn't right." Raven leans against his horse and then says with a bowed head, "I hope we can still work together. I guess I should ask if you want me to travel with you." Raven looks very tired and pale.
-----Sarah reaches out and puts her hand on Raven’s shoulder. "Raven, I need to talk to you later, in private." She says, a concerned tone in her voice. "And yes, I still want to travel with you."
-----Sarah briefly watches the rogues depart. She turns back to Sol and looks at him by the orcs. "I'm not turning my head." She says.
-----Suddenly, one of the orcs lets out an angry yell and the four orcs, still tied together, begin to charge. The humanoids rush toward Raven, Sol, Rinda and Sarah with the rope taunt between them as if attempting a clothesline effect. Raven and Sol duck under the rope as the orcs pass them. An orc at one end of the rope roughly shoulders into Sarah, but Rinda pulls her out of the way before she can be knocked down. As the orcs run toward the trees, the wolf barks as it snaps at their heels.
-----"If only th' bastards had done this sooner." Sol murmurs as he dashes towards Thunder. He vaults up and begins to give chase as he quips, "Dread can count himself lucky they didn't."
-----Raven mutters to himself, "Too much talkin'." Raven readies his bow and starts firing at the orcs.
-----Two arrows leave Raven’s bow as Sol starts forward. Quickly two of the retreating orcs fall dead slowing the other two orcs, causing them to turn facing the oncoming warrior.
-----With a fierce whinny, Thunder approaches the two humanoids and rears up. The stallion’s hooves strike one of the humanoids in the chest while Sol brings the Lathanian blade down on the other’s head. Within the next moment, the four humanoids lay dead and the tenseness seems to lift from the forest.
-----Sarah mutters, "So much for that bunch." Two magical missiles streak out from her hand, slamming into two different orcs.
-----Without saying a word Raven recovers the two arrows used and Dread's rope. As Raven returns to his horse, he nods a thank you to Sol and Sarah. Raven then slowly mounts his horse and heads off towards Oakwood.
-----Sarah just shakes her head and lowers her hands. "I'm sick of this." She says. "Let's go find Devlin and hurt her."
-----"I agree t'that." Sol turns Thunder around and begins to follow everyone to Oakwood. He peers queerly at Raven and remarks, "Ye know, if ye were feeling up t'shooting yer bow, then why was I going t'do th'...deed? On second thoughts, don't answer that."
-----Raven looks over to Sol and smiles weakly, "It's amazing how being pissed off can make you forget pain. Also, I didn't want to shoot the orcs down. I would have done it with my swords instead. When they took off, all bets were off."
-----Raven turns back towards the trail ahead and says, "I owe you one Sol. Thanks."
Go Back to the Chronicle of Adventures
Go Back to Tales of the Guild