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Chapter
7: Defending Gnisis
I ran to the top of a hill, Gnisis was on the other side of the river and I
got a clear view of the chaos. Bodies were scattered across the town, a few
houses had caught fire and there were more bandits than anyone could have
expected. I saw Bryenn on the opposite riverbank, fighting off three bandits
with a claymore that seemed to have a blue glow to it.
I readied my bow and fired an arrow at one of the bandits, it struck his arm
and threw him off balance long enough for Bryenn to land a hit. When his sword
struck a burst of blue flames surrounded the blade, setting the bandit on fire.
I stood awestruck, wondering how someone that I expected to be a novice fighter
had such a powerful enchanted weapon.
I hurried down the hill and swam across the river as Bryenn dispatched the
other two bandits. I tossed my robe onto the ground, since it was waterlogged
from the brief swim it would just slow me down in a fight like this.
"Hey..." I said, walking up behind Bryenn. "You're out of your mind, you know
that?"
"I couldn't just stand by and watch the town and people be destroyed. These
bandits deserve nothing less than death!" Bryenn said, raising his sword as
another group of bandits attacked.
I sighed, shaking my head. "People like you cause so much trouble... we
should just kill the leader, that'll get rid of them fast. At least, it did last
time I was in this sort of situation."
"How do we find the leader?" Bryenn asked, cutting down a bandit that rushed
him.
"I know what he looks like, and most leaders sit back and watch while their
peons do all the work." I shouted over the blast of my lightning spell.
Bryenn finished off the last of the small group that attacked us and turned
to me. “Well then, let's find him."
The bandits were coming from the path to the west, which made sense
considering the main fort was on the east side of town. They weren't stupid, at
least their leader wasn't. I ran along the coast, trying to stay out of sight.
Bryenn on the other hand seemed intent on slaughtering every last one of them,
cutting his way through the main path. I eventually lost sight of him, but the
sound of his sword bursting into flame was heard every couple seconds, so I knew
he was still alive.
The sounds of battle faded into the distance as I continued to run, and there
were no bandits to be found. I was about to give up and go back to Gnisis when a
ship floating off the coast came into view. There were three people aboard. I
crept closer, using the trees and rocks as cover. I got a clear look at one of
the people on the ship, it was the Redguard I saw talking to the person I killed
in Vivec.
I took aim at one of them and fired, it struck the person in the throat and
they fell overboard. The leader and his friend both picked up crossbows and
started firing wildly at the shore. I targeted his henchman and shot, it hit his
arm and he dropped the crossbow. I reached for another arrow but my quiver was
empty. The leader had leapt off the ship and was running in my direction, his
wounded ally crouched on the ship shakily aiming the crossbow.
I ran out from behind the tree and threw a shockball at the person left on
the ship, he fired a bolt at me but missed due to his arm wound. The ball of
lightning was a direct hit, he stumbled a bit and fell overboard. I turned my
attention on the leader, who was only a few feet away.
I reached for my dagger, and was overcome with a feeling of dread. I had left
my dagger in my robe, which was on the riverbank back in Gnisis. I quickly
charged a shockball and hurled it at him, he just grinned, swinging his sword at
it. There was a flash of light as the lightning hit his sword and the shockball
came flying back, striking me in the chest. I let out a scream, dropping my bow
and being knocked backwards onto the ground.
When the pain subsided I saw the Redguard standing over me, that smug grin he
had just before deflecting my spell was still on his face, and his sword was
aiming at my throat. I glared at him, there was nothing I would have liked
better than taking my dagger and slicing that look right off his face.
"Well, you gonna kill me or just stand there like an idiot?" I asked, too
angry about being taken down by my own spell to be afraid.
He just laughed. "You've got talent, we could use a sniper like you. A shame
you work for our enemy. Why not join us? Leave that fool Parven to rot and join
the ASP!"
"I may be a jerk sometimes, but I don't stab people in the back like that." I
said coldly. "Unless I have a good reason of course..."
He laughed again. “If it's drakes you want, we get paid plenty. More than
that fetcher Parven can pay you I bet! Besides, you'll end up dead if you don't
join us now..." he pushed the sword against my neck a bit harder. "What do you
say?"
"I say.... it's about damn time you got here!" I shouted.
The Redguard gave me a confused look and was suddenly hit in the face with a
fireball. He stumbled backwards and I rolled over, quickly dashing away from
him.
"What the hell?!" the Redguard shouted, his hair and face burnt from the
sudden attack.
Bryenn charged straight at the Redguard, he barely had time to block. Their
swords connected and Bryenn's let out a blaze of fire, causing the Redguard to
jump back in shock.
The Redguard grinned, "Well this is a surprise, who're you? Another of
Parven's minions?"
"I don't know any Parven, I just can't stand people like you." Bryenn said
coldly.
"I guess that means you won't be joining us either then, what a pity." the
Redguard said, taking a step back. "My name is Chris Mortifer... I hope we can
fight again."
"Wha-" Bryenn began, but there was a flash of light and the Redguard
vanished.
"Crap... a recall spell." I said, peeking out from behind a tree.
"Hiding are you?" Bryenn asked, sheathing his sword.
I let out a nervous chuckle. "Well all I have to defend myself with right now
is lightning magic, and he had a sword enchanted with reflect. What could I have
done?"
We walked back to Gnisis. The ground was covered in blood and corpses, some
of the buildings were half burnt down, but only a few residents and soldiers
were slain in the onslaught. We were approached by the Commander of the fort
shortly after our return. He apologized to me for not taking my warning
seriously, I told him not to make the same stupid mistake twice, and gave him a
rather rude gesture as I walked away toward the Silt Strider.
He also offered to let Bryenn join the Imperial Legion after seeing how good
of a swordsman he was. Bryenn declined, being a bit more polite than me. He said
he was going to join the guild I was in, hoping to finish what he started with
that Chris Mortifer fellow.
The siltman looked back at us, asking, a bit sarcastically, if we planned on
jumping off again. I shook my head, giving him the same rude gesture I gave the
Commander when he wasn't looking.
I sighed, looking over at Bryenn. "Well, I owe you one. Thanks for saving me
from that lunatic."
"No problem, but I was wondering... how did you know I was there?" Bryenn
asked, leaning back.
"I heard your armor, orcish doesn't move very quietly. I'm glad that guy
didn't have good hearing." I chuckled, twisting one of the sleeves of my robe to
get what was left of the water out.
"Yeah... I don't care for this armor, but it was free and my old armor was
weak." Bryenn said, looking down at his armor.
"I'll ask the guildmaster to set you up with something different, you'll
probably have to trade that in though." I said, putting on my still moist robe.
"Ugh..."
"That's fine, how long until we're there?"
"A while yet, just relax and enjoy the trip."
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