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Valen road at a leisurely pace through the great Anar Forest. The trees looked beautiful in their Autumn colors. Even though he had seen such sights hundreds of times over it never got old. His thoughts were suddenly broken by the shrill scream of a woman. He honed in on the direction of the shriek and then kicked his horse into that direction.

He heard more screams, moans, and sobs of several people as he approached. When he got close enough he dismounted and proceeded on foot moving as quickly through the underbrush, he came to a ridge and dropped to the ground, he peered over the edge and below him were 7 humans, 4 women, 2 children, and an elderly man. Dragging them on ropes were 6 Orcs and 8 Goblins. The Goblin guards prodded at them to keep moving with spears. He could see the people were in bad shape, all bloody and bruised. Valen knew there was only one thing he could do. He waited a moment, and then sprung from his hiding place on the ridge and then landed in the group of ugly green skins, sword already unsheathed off of his back. With one fluid motion he cut all of the ropes and told the people to run. They all darted off as quickly as they could away from the fight that was about to get very bloody and dangerous.

It was sometime in the morning when Valen finally reached the Anar Forest. He had passed some green skin tribes on his journey, but he decided to ignore them. His orders were to return at once after all. This time of year patrols in the region would be light. Orcs don't like the cold, and thus the Empire does not need to protect as much against them. Valen raced through the forest at full speed, avoiding anyone he heard as he traveled. Then all of a sudden the sun emerged from the clouds and Valen felt himself slowing down, and becoming weak. He took a rest to catch his breath. "I need better transportation" he said to himself. He changed his direction, but instead of sprinting he maintained a brisk jog through the forest. He eventually came upon a road and decided to walk, so as to not draw attention to himself when he came upon other travelers. It wasn't long before he began meeting other travelers. Merchants and farmers mostly, as well as some guards on patrol. He then came into a cleared out region of the forest and before him stood the great fortress city Tyrsis, capital of Reikland.

(Exit to Tyrsis)

"Or maybe you are just more talented than you know Zekey-boo," Tira said playfully.

"Zekey-boo?"

Tira seemed to not hear, "well, you are not the only one with magical skills." She walked over to a tree and started talking at it in some language Zeke did not know. Tira would talked for a while, and then paused as if someone was responding, but no one was as far as Zeke could tell. As he thought about it he recalled learning something about the Wood Elves, that they used the forest against their enemies with some strange magic. Sadly Zeke had never learned anything more on the subject. After a while Tira bowed to the tree and returned to Zeke and Dar, "well she says that we are in what Humans refer to as 'Reikland.'"

"Oh, I know where that it is."

Tira made a 'way to go stating the obvious' face and nodded, "yeah, so do I. It is not far from where Dar and I used to live. Now, does anyone have any ideas on where we should go?"

Dar didn't say anything so Zeke spoke up first, "well... I have never been to Brettonia before?" In actuality he wanted to get as far away from the Empire as possible before someone found and captured him, or worse.

Tira seemed to be wary of the idea, "Dar comes from Brettonia.... is that ok by you?"

Dar just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Ok, we'll do that. It is good to mix things up I guess...." Zeke thought Tira was going to say something else, but she just shook her head at herself and then started walking south. Zeke followed after her with Dar in the back.

Eventually they came upon a road and then continued on it south to the Pass of Noose. Around noon they stopped for lunch and ate as little as possible on their already dwindling food supplies. Most of their food had been left back in Middenland, leagues away.

They were almost finished eating when they heard the sounds of hooves and the rattling of armor coming up the road. They looked and saw an entire regiment of mounted Imperial Knights. As they got closer Zeke saw that they all carried warhammers, the sign of Sigmar. They were Paladins of Sigmar, or as some called them 'Templars'. In the Empire they were the best of the best, but usually they did not travel together in such large numbers. The regiment slowed as they neared the three travelers on the side of the road. Their captain signaled for them to stop and the he approached them alone. "What is your business here so far from towns and cities?"

Before Zeke could say something Tira replied, "were heading toward Brettonia, how about yourselves?"

Zeke knew that was the wrong answer before the captain grimaced. He motioned to some of his soldiers, "you are hereby to be held by the Paladins of the Holy Order of Sigmar until someone else can take you to Tyrsis."

Dar grabbed a hold of his mighty ax and prepared for a fight. The soldiers grabbed hold of their warhammers but Zeke flailed his arms and motioned for everyone to stop, "Dar, don't. There are too many."

Tira looked nervous and worried, "he's right Dar. now is not the time for fighting." Dar grumbled something but complied.

The guards took away their weapons and then bound them in ropes. They were taken to the back of the regiment where there were some other Paladins marching on foot and they were then forced to march with the Regiment. They marched for the rest of that day and only were allowed to rest once. They made camp long after night fall and as soon as they stopped Zeke and Tira collapsed to the ground out of exhaustion. They were tied to a tree near the outskirts of the camp and then given some food and water.

Had Zeke not been so hungry he would have been too tired to eat, but he quickly ate the meager meal. When he was done he saw that Tira had not touched her food and was instead curled up into a ball. She looked terrified, and Zeke almost thought he saw her crying, but it was too dark to tell. Dar sat beside her and kept a reaffirming hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her. Zeke decided to not ask what was wrong, he had a feeling she didn't want to talk about it. Instead he sat up against the tree and wondered if he could make an escape with his magic. He could burn through the ropes that were tied to the tree, but he knew that even though he didn't see them there were guards nearby, some who might know magic as well, so he decided to not try it.

(It is fine, and there are three by the way. A young human mage, a wood elf girl, and a really big human guy... look at my main characters under Valen Gray I think. "Dar, Tira, and Zeke")

Zeke looked at Tira who was wide eyed in surprise and hope. Zeke coughed as he was told and then began preparing to use a small fire spell.

The soldiers in the camp were either asleep or drowsy and so the scream brought them all to a confused state. When one finally saw the wolf he called out to his brother's in arms and the men scrambled for weapons as quickly as they could. They had a few spellcasters, but for the most part they were just soldiers.

Zeke moved as soon as he saw the wolf, hoping it was truly and illusion and not actually real. With all the concentration he could muster he sent a small jet of flame to cut through the ropes. It worked without a problem, to his surprise, and they were ripping the ropes off of themselves in seconds. Tira ran over to where their weapons were and grabbed her ring blade and Zeke's knife, Dar grabbed his axe which was much too heavy for Tira, and then they all ran off into the forest. Tira took the lead, her Elvish eyes perfect for seeing in the dark.

The guards were too busy trying to kill the wolf, but it moved unnaturally fast and so no one could land a blow.

(I am just kind of assuming the wolf would move too fast to be hit, because if it were hit they would see through the illusion....

and it's ok, I would have skimmed through it as well. Also, Dar is underused because he doesn't talk... so that may be why you didn't notice him)

Tira tackled and hugged Aikia excitedly, showing that Tira was back to her happy self. When she let go she said, "I can not say thank you enough. And please come with us, so perhaps we can repay your kindness in some way. Um, so my name is Tira, and this is Dar and Zekey." She motioned to the large man with the axe and the young mage respectively.

Zeke then added, "it is 'Zeke'."

Tira just shrugged nonchalantly, "so, what is your name, and what are you doing out here so late at night?"

"Right, it won't be fun around here when they found out how they were duped," she grinned at the thought of the Imperials being so frustrated with their failure.

***

Back at the Imperial camp, a little girl in a flowery dress was hiding behind some trees. She crept through the camp, not being seen by anyone and found the ropes where Zeke had been captured. She frowned, seeing at how she had just missed them. But then she a laughed it off in a quiet sweet little laugh and then skipped out of the camp and followed his scent, once again unseen by all.

(Just ignore the little girl for now, and you can auto take us to your camp if you like, or they can talk along the way, whatever)