4 Chapter 4

Two days had set since the fellowship ventured from the city in the search of the goblinoid uprising.Besides a small increase in the frequency of hits delivered by goblinoid raiding parties, they still hadn't identified the source of their concern.

It was in the early evening of the third day that they heard shouts from afar mingling with the sounds of battle.Thalgar rushed towards the sounds and saw a human clad in armor, armed with shield and flail, fighting a small raiding party all on his own. The raiding party, seeing that they had the advantage of numbers, was playing with the man, as would a pack of wild animals play with its prey. As Thalgar approached, he heard him shout "In the holy Name of the Guard! May he smite you!", his flail for a moment flashed and his strike made the orc that attacked him squeal in pain before falling dead.Thalgar saw the opportunity. As his enemies focused on their armored opponent, he jabbed with his rapier a close by goblin, rupturing its kidney and killing it on the spot. It was the turn for the rest of the party to rush in the battle.

Thumior, howling like a beast, charged like a bull the biggest orc and engaged him in combat. Suddenly they felt like a sea breeze enveloping them.At first, they felt strange smelling sea air in the high hills they were but then they heard Amnare singing a song about the swelling sea and the rise of the waves, all of them felt their hearts filling with courage and steeled will. Drogar had taken one hatchet in each hand and throwed them with deadly accuracy to a goblin gawking at the unexpected reinforcements of the man, who they thought as prey.

Eloise was standing a little behind the company, hands opened, speaking in a voice brimming with authority. Suddenly, she joined hands and sparks of electricity started to come out. She pointed withher finger and a spherical electrical discharge shot off, hitting an orc trying to flank the armoured man.The armoured man took a long breath and started chanting "Guard, hear my call! Bless me and my new allies in our time of dire need!". A faint shimmering light covered them for a few seconds and then it was gone, leaving them all encouraged in the midst of the scrap.

Soon after that, the tide of the battle was turned and the goblinoids turned to flee. Alas for them it was too late. Thumior, having got ridden of his opponent, cleaved the remaining goblins and orcs like a butcher cutting pork tenderloins.When the last of the remaining raiding party fell to a swift axe blow from Drogar, they turned to look at the armoured man who was now on his knees, praying for his success in battle and his god'sdivine favour to grant him unexpected allies in his time of need.

Afterwards, he turned to Thalgar and the rest of the party, taking out his helmet smiling and saying "I thank you for your help good sires and madame. My name is Constantine, a roaming cleric of The Guard".Thalgar grinned and made a small mocking bow saying "Glad to be of assistance good sir but what does a holy man do dressed for battle in the middle of nowhere, if you don't mind me asking". He solemnly answered that he had received a message from his God, that there was trouble to the West.He fell upon this raiding party thinking he was stalking them but, alas, he was the one being stalked,he finished his sentence with a pearly white smile.

Drogar watched him for a moment silently and then said something that made the hairs in the back of the neck of Thalgar rise. "We are in a quest given to us from the lords of Fountaindrop and since you are looking into the matters too, it would be a shame not joining us to our venture. Of course, you'll get an even share from the earned bounty and part of the loot, if any."Constantine pondered it for some moments and then said "Of course! I'll join you in the condition that when we reach the first friendly tavern, the first round will be on me". Thalgar smiled and thought "I'm certainly going to make you regret these words you just said" but said nothing of it. Thumior seeing his twin brother facial expression just sighed as he knew the mischievous character of his brother.

Searching the bodies of the fallen, they found few things of worth except for a few coins, earned most probably from previous victims. Drogar looked into the ritualistic markings of the fallen and gasped "Gods help us! There are three different markings on the orcs' bodies, which means than more than three clans have joined up. Maybe a new Horde is in the making. We must go back to

Fountaindrop and immediately ask for reinforcements from nearby barracks and alert the militia!".

The return trip to the town was fast since fear gave wind to the feet of the company of heroes. The news of a new Horde were terrible, since the last time it happened, a combined army of all local feudal lords had been required to face it. Moreover, the at that moment King of the lands had bolstered the local army. Unfortunately, the King and his heir died in the battle, leaving the Kingdom heirless since the Queen had died giving birth.Civil war erupted amongst the baronies since they all laid a claim to the Throne. It had been, give ortake, 100 years that had passed with no avail. During the time passed, only fragile treaties of peace prevailed and even more fragile trust between the baronies. Corecia was the unluckiest one, since the Barony was under Droven's occupation for more than 35 years.It was early in the next day afternoon that they reached the walls of Fountaindrop, whose gates they rushed through.

Drogar whispered something in the commanding officer's ear and the man went white for a moment. After regaining his composition, he ordered a runner to the castle. He then turned to his comrades and said that we better get the dirt off us and have a drink. Soon we should meet the lords of Fountaindrop