The Valiant-The early years

Chapter 2

The 6 are heading towards the pass when Soren suddenly stops, slipping down out of the saddle. "What are you doing?" Gathnar asks, and Soren hisses at him, "be quiet!"

Soren slips his longsword free of its sheath and plants the tip firmly in the dirt, closing his eyes and planting his hand palm down on the prommel. Moments later when he opens his eyes, he turns back to the group, "dismount, follow me." He freed his sword as he dropped into a stooped run and crossed the 100 feet into the brush, and he noticed Wilyas slip silently into the brush next to him.

He turned his head slightly to the left to see Gathnar and Emyr barely being concealed by the bush they've wriggled into. On his right, he knew, was Naerie and Onr. He could already picture the way Onr was holding his hands, and the special half-staff Naerie had, that was enchanted to act like a sword when she fought with it. "Wait here." He whispered to Wilyas, and gave Naerie and Onr a hand signal to tell them the same thing.

He took a cautionary glance out into the trees, and belly-crawled over to where Gathnar and Emyr were concealed. "Do not engage the enemy unless we being to fall. You haven't fought Hellions before, Gathnar." Soren told both men, before returning to his own concealment. A quick hand signal set all four companions charging forward.

As they broke through the brush, one of the brutish Hellions charged at them. He was intercepted by Onr, who grabbed him, and the two vanished into thin air. Wilyas sent four daggers flying at another one, all 4 hitting home in a tight grouping in the center of its chest. It didn't go down, however, and Wilyas produced a dagger from the side of his boot before charging forward.

"Icthar Comettus!" Naerie shouted, as the upper part of her half-staff glowed. The white-hot glow would not only let her use her incredible sword skills, but it would inflict magical burns on the opponent. She charged into battle, taking on one of the remaining two alone with it.

Soren reached for his sword before pausing briefly. He then reached for the other sword on his other side, and when his hand closed around the handle, he saw a flash of light and then was standing in front of the gods. Both swords, he knew, were held in a sort of purgatory for him, while he had this brief conference.

"Hellions. 4 of them. My companions," he was careful not to use the word friends, since both Gathnar and Emyr were currently travelling with him, "are dealing with 3, but my regular Paladin blade will be ineffective against them." He watched T'Lem and the others discuss in a language only they spoke, before the head god nodded. "Go. Use it."

Soren opened his eyes back on the battlefield--mere moments had passed, and he slid the Valiant blade free. Charging forward with a battle cry, he locked himself into battle with the last of the Hellions. Had he been new at being the Valiant, he would've used it like a normal sword, but he knew its potential. "Mortis Avenga!" He called out, slashing at the Hellion.

Instead of the desired effect, the spell backfired against him, rushing out of the Hellion to spread over the area. "Everyone get down!" He had to trust that they'd listen, the last thing he wanted was to see any of his friends hurt.

After the effects cleared, all 4 Hellions lay dead, but Onr was no where in sight. "Don't tell me..." Soren began, only to fall over from being startled by Onr appearing next to him.