Ashes of the Fallen

The rolling of the ship did little to dull the mood as the waves had started to pick up. Coming closer to the shore, a village had appeared on the horizon. It wouldn't be long now. The voyage had been a long one, some two-hundred miles by sea but it was a peaceful one. The calm before the storm had eased our hearts and minds.

Seagulls squawking in the distance gave the coast away.

As if the moon hadn't done enough.

And then the moment came when we knew we were blessed.

As the clouds closed and focused the moonlight onto a single opening. The mouth of the river that we needed to take. Riding the waves into outgoing freshwater, the sudden change in tidal forces rocked the boat slightly but it was nothing to worry over.

Gliding over the turbulence, we were soon sailing up the river and towards our destination. The village in the distance, completely fortified with wooden walls all the way around and torches burning every twenty feet was easy to spot.

We knew what it looked like.

There was no mistaking it.

Men and women were now preparing for the beaching.

Hot pitch had been prepared for every individual onboard, as all had learned the basics of the magical lighter specifically for this event.

We were less than a few minutes out, now.

Now, it was time to begin.

"Five minutes," I said quietly but clearly for all to hear. "Once we land, you have five minutes. We start from the far side, light the buildings and cut back to the ship. Stick to your unit, stay tight. Cut down those who are in your way, ignore the rest."

This had been drilled into them for days.

It was verbatim.

But I repeated it anyways.

The Longship continued to sail up the river as the buildings had taken shape. The village's wooden walls stopped precipitously at the water's edge as if they were inviting us in. The walls were easily ten feet high if not more and would have posed a problem.

Of course, we didn't need to go through or over those walls.

We went through the river.

Sailing into the western edge of the village we beached the ship and immediately hopped overboard and into the waist deep water with soft splashes no louder than the lapping water hitting the river bank. We remained silent as we filed out along the walls and behind the thatch buildings that had been shoddily assembled.

Men, women, and children occupied those buildings.

Enemies, all of them.

Signaling the units to move, they fanned out three to the left and two to the right. I would occupy the middle alone while Katherine watched the boat. Sneaking through the village, the occasional wandering NPC or Player was found and quickly silenced.

Standing behind a corner, I waited as a man was pacing by.

Drunk, he was oblivious to his surroundings.

Silencing my breathing and honing my senses, I could hear every footstep as it started to close the distance. Soft footsteps in the night, hardly discernible from the river waves and the squawking gulls. I waited, patiently for the man to come.

And then, as he passed within my range, I struck.

Shooting forth with an arm stretched out, I clasped my hand around his mouth as I ran my knife into his throat. The man's legs and arms jumped in shock and horror as his eyes screamed for all of two seconds. Then, turning the man around, I dragged his body around the corner and laid it down in the shadows.

  The process was repeated, silently.

  Two minutes had gone by as we had finally reached the eastern edge of the village. A total of ten NPCs killed with no Players yet alerted. Giving the signal, the hot pitch that every man and woman had on their company was lit aflame and tossed onto the roof of a building.

In an instant, the village had started to smoke.

After seconds, the village had woken.

By the third minute of our visit, half the town had been engulfed in flame as raiders hastily ran through the village and lit every non-burning building on fire. Shouts had filled the air as people screamed out.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

Embracing the chaos I turned out into the middle of the village where other players had gathered. Standing tall at the center with my dire wolf pelt concealing my face and body. My eyes a solid red with a lingering reddish-orange trail as I began to pace.

"INTRUDER KILL HIM!" another man shouted as he pointed his finger at me.

A minute and forty-five seconds to go, I engaged.

With my bearded axe at my side, I flash stepped into the crowd of players and quickly swung with all my might, impacting an unaware caster in the side of the arm and cleaving all the way through into his chest.

The hit so solid that my axe was stuck in the corpse as I was forced to kick it free. Breaking my weapon out, I rapidly turned to deflect the sword thrust of a woman as another man attacked me from behind. Utilizing a backstab he attempted to land a critical blow as I twisted in the loose gravel and brought my axe to a high-guard.