Tired Of Death

"Are you sure they'll come this way?" asked Marlin.

Frumble nodded. "Positive. My scrying spell was very strong." The Halfling pounded his short staff on the ground to emphasize his conviction, incidentally splashing mud on his blue and yellow robes. "Damn! I just had these cleaned!" He leaned down to rub at the markings and his pointy hat fell off.

Flame laughed at the short wizard. "It's a good job this party has some good steel, it wouldn't do to rely on your spells mage!" The Ranger was sitting on a fallen tree trunk polishing his sword, which was resting on his knees. His receding hairline was covered by a new helmet, recently bought at the small village in the valley. Horns protruded menacingly from it. Occasionally he would stop and admire the reflection in his shield.

Frumble muttered about ignorant rangers under his breath and stood up again, placing his hat firmly on his head. That done he looked at his party. Bug, their fighter, lay sprawled out on the grass, the Orc snored loudly and occasionally scratched himself in his sleep. His armour was dirty, as was he himself, but Frumble had to admit he knew how to use his large two handed sword.

He glanced over at Riot, who was sitting in the shadows examining her arrows. As usual the wizard couldn't help admiring the Elven thief's slender figure, made all the more attractive in the tight black leather she wore.

"Are you ogling at me again wizard?" she asked, without looking up from her task.

"No, no," Frumble replied, blushing. He quickly shifted his gaze to the cleric, Marlin, who had once more subsided into meditation. His plate mail armour was the best of the party, and it had caused some argument back in the village, but the group had only enough gold to buy one set, and Marlin had eventually convinced the rest of them he had more need of it. His mace was hanging at his side, and he'd rested his shield against a tree. The man's yellow hair was tied back in a long ponytail.

The wizard took a deep breath. They were bad a.s.s for sure! It had been a stroke of good fortune indeed that they'd chanced across the notice before anyone else. This Dreth character wouldn't stand a chance against them. He had prepared his best spells for the occasion, two of them newly purchased, and the party was as ready as they could be. Admittedly, they had spent all the gold their last adventure had gained them, but it was worth it! This was the one that would put them in the big time! Up there with adventurers like Granite the Great and Seraphim the Mighty. He gripped his staff tightly in excitement. His brothers in the academy said he was foolish to leave so soon, but he would show them. He would show them all!

His musings were cut short by a chime from the air. The wards had been activated!

"They're coming! Hurry, get ready," he urged. "Riot, wake the Orc."

They scrambled into their prepared positions, just past a slight bend in the trail. Riot hid in some bushes a little way off the track, her bow ready. Frumble stood nearby, shielded by a tree, and rolled his sleeves up.

The cleric stood opposite them, concealed in the undergrowth, mouthing silent prayers to his god whilst the two fighters crouched behind a boulder, weapons at the ready.

A small figure popped around the bend, and Frumble's eyes widened. A Halfling? No, no it was… he squinted. Some kind of miniature zombie!

As he watched the thing bent over and examined some tiny insect crawling on the ground. Frumble was just about to make a comment when others appeared.

"Hey! Wizard, I thought you said there were only four of them!" Hissed Riot, her bow wavering between the unexpected targets. "There's six, plus the midget undead."

Before Frumble could reply, Bug and Flame ran at the group screaming their war cries.

Too soon! The wizard hesitated only a moment, they were committed now. "Attack!" he shouted, and spoke the activation word for his Magic Missiles. He raised his hand and pointed a finger, but then hesitated. Which target? As he watched Flame was being set upon by the two and a half zombies. They had overwhelmed him and were clawing and biting the ranger, who had lost his sword and was now trying to stab his attackers with his dagger.

Frumble's finger veered towards them, but the sudden chant of a magical incantation drew his attention. An old half elf was casting magic, she had to be taken out! He fired all four of his bolts and was gratified to see the woman go down with a squawk.

Beside him Riot loosed her bow. Frumble saw the arrow fly true and hit the tall thin figure standing in the middle of the road. The man, who had to be Dreth, was simply standing and watching the action. He looked down at the shaft that was embedded in his c.h.e.s.t and then casually plucked it out and threw it to one side.

"That's not good," said Riot, eyes going wide.

Frumble desperately started casting his most powerful spell. It wasn't going at all according to plan! As he watched the cleric stepped forward and thrust his holy symbol at the zombies, who shrieked and stumbled away.

Dreth moved. The tall form drew a long black sword with frightening speed and with one bound was upon Marlin. Using his weapon like a giant dagger, he thrust it down into the top of the cleric's head, driving the blade through the skull, down the neck and into the torso.

Marlin went rigid. Dreth waited a moment, and then smoothly pulled his bloodied weapon from the body, allowing it to slump to the ground.

"Oh shit! Did you see that?" asked Riot, firing another arrow and missing.

Unable to stop casting his spell without severe blowback, Frumble could only watch as Dreth moved smoothly around to Bug, who was busy fighting a human skilfully wielding two swords. With one clean slice of his weapon, he decapitated the Orc, spraying blood and gore over a wide area. The sword seemed to shriek with delight at the act.

"Screw this!" exclaimed Riot, as they watched the final member of their fighting force slump to the ground. "We're way out of our league here, I'm gone!" The thief picked up her quiver and ran.

Frumble, shaking and quivering, finally cast his spell.