Battle in the Fallen Grove

[Krylan]

It was probably the Shortest trip Xander had ever made between Ravenswatch and the Grove.

"Go and see the Grove, and you'll know why we have become so determined"

Celestias words echoed in his mind. What had happened to the grove? Was the Arch-Druid okay? He could still picture The Druids warm smile in his mind.

"HEYA!" He shouted at his horse as it sped along ever faster into the night, Digging his heels into its sides. His Hood blew free of his head as the wind picked up.

Xander hadn't bothered to ask any questions before he departed. It was something he needed to see for himself.

He came to the creek that would lead him straight to the grove. He dismounted the horse. He could already feel it. That sense of dread and death, that he had come so accustomed to over the course of the past few months.

He took off at a run. And came around the bend that lead into the Grove. His heart stopped, and he was speechless.

The grove had been desimated. Its once beatiful trees had died, wilted away, The shrine, once a grand Monument to Iaosia, toppled, and the Grand Oak of the Grove. Gone.

He couldn't believe his eyes. He approached the alter and placed his hand on it. Why? How? When? Had he missed so much in his absences? Why was he elsewhere when people needed him. Once again, that sense of helplessness entered his heart.

In his overwhelming feelings, he had almost missed the sound of a Sharp Twang, and only had moments to move out of the way. An arrow crashed against the alter with such force, that it had snapped in half.

His heart now pumping, he pulled his small one-handed crossbow off of his back and loaded a bolt. He listened. Silence.

Again he heard it, the sharp Twang. He leaped to his left. and another arrow came and imbedded itself into the hillside behind him.

Someone was trying to kill him.

"Come out and face me coward!" He shouted. His voice echoed across the canyon. Again. Silence.

After a few moments, he heard it again. He stepped to his right immediately after that another, and he stepped to his left. Just as he moved out of the way of the second arrow. A third came down and imbedded itself in his left shoulder.

The force of the arrow had penetrated through his leather and his chain-mail armor. He cried out in agony as he went spiraling to the ground.

Xander pulled himself up against the rock next to him, putting it between his attacker and himself. He looked at the arrow sticking out of his shoulder. He grabbed it with his right arm and pulled the arrow free. The pain was so great that he cried out once again. He took a moment to looked over the arrow. The edges of the blade had been serrated. Great.

He held his hand to his shoulder and spoke the words of healing. The wound stopped bleeding but it would continue to be sore.

As he finished he heard the audible "Woosh" of a sword being swung. He ducked to his left and then rolled away, The sword of his foe came crashing into the rock, right where his neck had been. Another swing, as Xander pushed himself forward coming into a roll. The sword embedded itself into the dirt.

As his attacker pulled his sword free, Xander got to his feet, pulling his rapier from its sheath just in time to parry an attack from his opponent. stepping backwards and using his rapier to direct the flow of the other sword.

It was in this brief moment that he got his first good look at his attacker.

It was a man. a Short man. His Hair was a silvery white, and almost draped over his eyes, parted to either side of his face. His emerald eyes showed a dark determination. and his mouth contorted into a snarl, almost feral like. His sword a broad Scimitar.

His attacker spun to the left and brought his sword around in a powerful swing, diagonally from low to high. Xander had just seconds to step out of the way, the Scimitar cutting his cheek.

The warm feel of blood crawled down to his jaw as he continued to dodge and parry the ferocious attacks of his assailant. The man would need to tire out sometime, if he wasn't dead before he did.

At last his attacked stopped, Panting. Xander took a moment to rest himself. He observed his attacker. The mans cold eyes watched him, observing, never breaking contact.

Finally he spoke, "Why do you not fight back!? Face me!" The force behind his voice startled Xander. His tone was half crazed.

Xander pondered the mans words. He wanted a fight? Here? Of all places? In this desecrated grove? He had never seen the man before. Was he a Canite? Under the control of the Mindworm? If so why was the man attacking him? Was it because of his relationship with Cel? It made sense but...

The sudden movement of his attacker brought him back to reality, he was going again for his spinning attack. Xander brought his rapier up just in time to block it.

The Raiper couldn't withstand the force of the Scimitar. Bending with the blow at first and then snapping.

Thankfully, the resistance from the rapier coupled with his armor absorbed most of the blow, but it couldnt stop the strength of the scimitar as it embedded itself into his ribs.

As the Scimitar was pulled free Xander let out a cry of agony and fell backwards.

His assailant looked over him, His cold eyes looked much as a wolves did before they dealt a killing blow. He raised his blood soaked sword.

Xander gave a quick prayer to Ishtar, Thanking her for the joy he had been granted during his life time. And then prepared for his death.

The final blow never came, but was interrupted by a soft yelp. The eyes of the attacker softened as he looked on past Xander.

Although it caused him great pain he turned to look. A small white wolf sat behind him staring at his attacker. He looked back at his attacker, and it seemed the two were communicating. some how.

The Man looked him over. "Leave this place, don't ever return, if you do, I will not spare your life twice. Tell the other Stone-walkers to never set foot in this grove again. Or they will be killed."

With that the man Vanished into the brush. Xanders Vision blurred as he attempted to rise to his feet. He was too tired to cast a spell and he knew he was bleeding out. The wolf came to him and sat down in front of him and watched him as he rose to his feet.

Xander stumbled forward. The wolf following him now.

He reached his horse and pulled himself onto it. The wolf Nipped at its heels and it took off.

He didn't know where this wolf was taking him, but he hoped he would live long enough to find out.

[Domina]

Phelan and Erica had joined me to the Grove to investigate the attack that had left Xander gravely injured. As we got there a shadow from above had shot an arrow down by Erica and I. We soon realized that it was an angry druid. He demanded that we leave but we refused. This place is as special to us as it is to him. For us to leave the place we cared about just because this druid failed to be here to defend the grove was not our issue.

Phelan had taken this time to sneak up behind the druid and layed the flat of his blade on the druid's shoulder. A sign to surrender. After a "discussion" for the terms of surrender, he was tied up and removed from the hillside. Phelan had told the druid about controling his anger. That giving in to it would not be the wise choice. We told him that attacking people just because they were "stone walkers" or city dwellers was a horrible choice of a way to find revenge against those that had caused harm to the grove.

After several moments discussing and talking about solutions, we said that perhaps seeing Lagnapis was the best choice for him. A chance to try and see what was really happening and take a stand as Defender of the Grove.