The Ranger, the Rouge, and The Bard: Order of the Dragons

Chapter 2: The Meeting

Hours later before dawn can crest the peak of the mountains our trio gather outside the inn where they had convened the night prior Jebidiah had been the first to arrive used to early mornings reading up on the events that had happened in the newspaper reading that headline over and over as he could not believe it. He knew that face of that man very well as he had been the one to lock him up in the first place and now, he is out. "What are you reading?" says a familiar quite figure, as Cole is behind him making Jebidiah jump "Jumping jack rabbit don't sneak up on me kid!" Jebidiah says chuckling as he calms down and shows Cole the paper "Well I think I just found out why The Dragon Order is back in action," he says his normal cheery smile gone from his old face. Cole nods seeming unbothered "Great so a terrorist broke out of prison well that shouldn't really get in the way of a deal between common street thugs" Cole says his voice not really caring for these events but Jebidiah gives him a serious stare "Partner I wouldn't be looking like a rose bush like it ain't got no thorns, they are still plenty dangerous those bastards would use common thugs as you say very effectively." He says his gaze cold and distant "They raised an entire village just by bringing about a gang war promising money they didn't have to every game in town to set bombs in the hideouts of the other gangs and around town" he says looking off giving a 1000 mile stare off to the distance.

Cole sighs "Sorry I didn't know that" he says looking away. But before this award silence can get worse its broken by the hottie, chipper, cheery voice of the one and only Carla Singer who looks to have just woke up her make up is a bit messy and her frilly fancy sir coat is all messy and disheveled not properly ironed or prepared she seems to have just gotten out of bed. She lets out a long yawn as she approaches "Morning gentlemen I hope you get better rest than I have I barely got a wink in" she says her voice energetic yet tired bags light under her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that ma'am but we got work to do things might be worse than we thought but let's get going before we miss our chance to find these fools!" He says his excited tone coming back to him as he stands slinging the rifle over his back as he motions for the two to follow him as he heads out into the distance towards this meeting. Thus, our story begins true are not you excited I know I am!

A few hours later the trio reaches the valley, the sun has yet to crest the peak of the mountain Cole and Carla are panting and heaving as they reach the crest of a small cliff giving a good vantage point over the valley which is empty. The land here at one point was a beautiful, lush forest but after years of conflict with this being the sight of multiple major battles with chemical weapons having been released killing the forest and craters and damage from spells cannons and mortars had devastated the earth a half built abandoned trench sits on one side of the valley an old where the empire had held a line in the early days of the war. Barbwire and abandoned weapons litter the ground. It is quite a depressing scene not a spec of life left here. Carla is a bit taken aback she has clearly not seen a battle field and the devastation it brings to the land "What in the hells happened it is destroyed!" she says just shocked by the devastation and Jebidiah puts a hand on her back "That's war kid I have seen some of the most beautiful places torn to sunder in this war its devastation knows no bounds it cares for none and will destroys all." He says looking away for a moment as he gives a thousand-mile stare to the west as a memory plays out in his mind. Carla yawns, not really catching on to the shift in personality "Soooo when are these guys going to be arriving? The sun is cresting the peak" she says pointing to the end of the valley where the light of the sun has finally peaked over the tallest mountains peak signifying the meeting was to begin based on the note that was found. "Low and behold as the sun comes up Cole points as three people come down the road into the clearing remarkably close to them. They were remarkably familiar faces with these being the thugs who they got in a fight with at the bar their voices echoed in the valley the goblin was berating the large beastman, "How could you lose the note we could get in so much trouble for that wat if someone is able to read it!" The goblin growls at him bandages on the goblin's head where Cole had slammed him against the table and through the window while the beastman could only gesture as his snout seems very injured being all secured in bandages snout closed. The wizard person who had been using magic cards to cast spells looked the best not even having any bandages, but he was also berating the beast man "I told you I should have carried it now what are we going to do if they ask for it tell them that we lost it!?!" he says angrily smacking him on the head which the beastman, who when not drunk seems a lot more docile, only grunts too. Cole whispers to Jebidiah "Do you see the people their making the business deal with yet?" As if on cue before Jebidiah can respond the ground rumbles as from down the valley, they can see a steam powered vehicle treaded tracks rumbling over the uneven ground its shell made from scrap metal it seems like a scraped war machine.