Realm of Holocene, a Game of Thrones-esque world with fewer politics and more creatures. Mystical and Believable.
Aden El-Rahm, a young sellsword with a -cool, calm, and confident- demeanor who holds a debauchery secret, finds himself facing a fate...
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The third day's battle raged on, the defenders' attention laser-focused on the chaotic ground assault - leaving them perilously unaware of the harpies silently sneaking into their blind spot from above.
Suddenly, a piercing scream of surprise shattered the air as Ser Parcival whirled, recoiling in shock. "Harpies! Harpies on the rooftop!" he bellowed, his voice cutting through the clashing din like a knife.
In an instant, the rooftop units pivoted as one, hastily repositioning to defend the vital hwachas from this unexpected aerial threat. Spears and blades glinted as they formed a defensive ring around the bulky catapult emplacements.
"Gahh!" One of the harpies shrieked, its foul talons closing around Ser Cedric's slender armored form. The knight's eyes widened in horror as a second harpy swooped in, both winged terrors straining to gain altitude with their cumbersome prey.
They hovered torturously close to the rooftop's edge, beating their powerful wings furiously as they struggled under the burden of Cedric's weight. Try as they might, they simply could not gain enough height to render a fatal drop truly devastating - the knight's heavy plate was an anchor dragging them earthward.
"Help me!" Ser Cedric's anguished cries rang out, his body thrashing wildly in mid-air in a desperate attempt to break free from their scrabbling talons. "Somebody! Anybody!"
The rooftop crew could only watch the horrific scene unfold in stunned silence, their hearts sinking as Cedric's frantic struggles kept the frustrated harpies from escaping with their prize. To lose arrows or fling spears risked striking the helpless knight instead.
But just as hopelessness truly set in, a whistling sound split the air - followed by a solid thunk and a shriek of rage.
"Keeah!" One of the harpies recoiled, a well-aimed stone glancing off its feathered temple. The harpy carried Ser Cedric's scream in pain, dropping Ser Cedric onto a street beyond the front yard.
Aden was curious about the rock that hit the harpy carrying Ser Gareth. The rock was flying from the ground, Aden's eyes tracked the missile's trajectory back to its origin point, the arched window of a nearby doorway. There, silhouetted against the dimness, It was Oliver, he was the one who unleashed the rock with his stone slinger.
The kid looked to Aden with some expectation. Aden replied with a nod, acknowledging the kid's effort in the fight. The kid seemed glad he carried on swinging his stone slinger to every harpy in the front yard.
When the rooftop units were preoccupied with Ser Cedric, Aden saw another group of harpies climbing up from under the rooftop.
"Harpies!" the hwacha operators screamed out in sync. The harpies engaged the hwachas operators and the volunteers defending the hwachas.
The harpies had targeted Ser Cedric as a diversion to clear the way for their sisters to destroy other hwachas.
Aden's attention went back to the spot where the harpies grabbed Ser Cedric. Amidst the chaos and dust, Aden caught sight of the lean knight figure lying on the street —injured and vulnerable.
